The Fresno State Bulldogs women’s tennis team will start its 2026 fall season Friday at the Cal Poly Invitational, hosted at the Comerford Pavilion in San Luis Obispo, California. The tournament, running from September 25 to 27, kicks off a fall schedule that includes six tournaments leading to the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships in November.
Head coach Denise Dy, entering her seventh season, leads a team that returns only one player from the previous season. Senior Eliza Dunbar, who led the Bulldogs last year with 13 singles victories and five Mountain West Conference singles wins, is the lone returning player. The roster also features six newcomers, including experienced transfers Milena Maiorova and junior Nina Wiese. Wiese, a transfer from Omaha with two seasons of eligibility remaining, brings experience from top singles positions and Summit League honors. Freshmen Andi Anderson from Georgia, Anna Noguero from Spain, Daniella Clara Suryapranata from Indonesia, and Francesca Terzi from Italy complete the seven-player lineup, representing six countries.
Julia Deming, promoted to associate head coach in August after three years as an assistant, enters her first season in her new role. Under her early tenure, the Bulldogs compiled an undefeated home record in conference play and secured four ITA Top 75 team rankings. Key fall events include the ITA Regional Championships in Stanford and the Pac-12 Fall Qualifier in Spokane, which provide avenues to the NCAA Championships scheduled for November in Athens, Georgia.
CSB Take
Fresno State’s women’s tennis team begins the 2026 fall season with a largely new roster anchored by senior Eliza Dunbar’s leadership and enhanced by transfers with collegiate experience and an international group of freshmen. The coaching staff’s continuity, highlighted by Julia Deming’s promotion, aligns with the team’s goals as it faces a challenging schedule aiming for NCAA Championship qualification. Success in key fall tournaments will be essential for the Bulldogs to establish momentum and competitive standing in the Mountain West Conference this season.
Source: Original report
