MONTREAT, NC – The 2026 North Carolina A&T women's tennis season is over, and it was historic.
The Aggies closed the season with a 5-0 win over the Montreat Cavaliers at the Asheville Christian Academy Tennis Courts on Tuesday. A&T closed the season with a 10-5 record, marking the first time in program history the Aggies finished a season with double-digit victories. It is also the best winning percentage (.667) in program history. The 2026 season marks a remarkable recovery after the Aggies lost a few matches in the past two seasons due to injuries.
"I'm extremely proud of this group," said A&T's director of tennis Ansel Bivens. "What they accomplished this season is historic for our program. That's a real step forward and something these ladies should take a lot of pride in."
The Aggies took a giant step toward history with their performance in doubles on Tuesday. The Aggies had seniors
Hana El Sherif and
Dorsa Cheraghi slated to play at No. 3 doubles, but the Cavaliers have a few injuries of their own; they did not have enough players to field a No. 3 doubles tandem. A&T didn't need No. 3 doubles because they took care of business at No. 1 and 2 doubles.
Sophomores
Flavia Villegas and
Juana Gomez Weiss beat Catalina Pan and Clara Roman 6-2 at No. 1 doubles. The Aggies took a 1-0 lead as junior
Tabeth Tadoum and freshman Valeria Fomenko defeated Ana Marija Horvacki and Yamile Cuiza 6-1. In previous seasons, forfeiting No. 3 doubles was a setback, but not this year.
"We went from being short-rostered to building real depth and stability, and now we're on the edge of being a contender in this conference," said Bivens after the Aggies failed to qualify for the 2026 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Women's Tennis Championship Tournament. "We're not far off. We battled some of the top teams, including (CAA opponents) Campbell, Elon, and Charleston, the one, two, and three seeds (at the CAA tournament). Those matches showed us exactly where we are and how close we are."
Villegas recorded her fourth straight win, finishing her season at 11-3 with a straight-set win, 6-1, 6-0, over Cuiza. The Aggies took a 3-0 lead when Fomenko defeated Horvacki 6-2, 6-1. Fomenko improved to 2-1 during her first year in the program. The clincher came at No. 1 when Tadoum beat Roman 6-1, 6-2. Cheraghi closed out her season with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 win over Pan. Cheraghi had a 7-6 season.
"Individually, we had some outstanding performances. Randy (Rakotoarilala), Juana, and Hana all stepped up in big ways," said Bivens. "Flavia was consistent all year. One of the biggest improvements across the board was our doubles play. That's the direction reflection of the work they've put in and the commitment to get better."
Bivens expects most of the team back, with one player likely to transfer and El Sherif graduating. He credited assistant coach Jahanzeb Inam for his contributions.
"This was my last season, and it truly meant a lot to me," said El Sherif. "I'm really proud of how it went. I had some great wins and competed at the No. 1 position the entire season. It was an amazing experience, and I'm grateful for every moment on the court."
