CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Defined by youth and unmatched perseverance, the fourth-ranked Wesleyan women's tennis team returns to Middletown as the 2026 NCAA Division III National Champions for the second time in program history, defeating No. 3 Washington University - St. Louis, the defending champions, in a 4-1 final. Head coach Steph Yanosov makes history, winning her first national title in her first season while leading Wesleyan to a 23-2 season record.

The 2026 National Champions join their predecessors, the 2019 National Champions, in the Wesleyan history books as the fourth title in Wesleyan Athletics history. The Cardinals' 23-2 finish ranks second all-time to the 23-1 season in 2022. The victory is the fifth national title for a NESCAC team this year and marks the 185th national championship victory for the conference.

The Cardinals and the Bears previously met on March 13 this season, in the opening matchup of the annual Spring Break trip. The Bears outlasted the Cardinals in a 4-3 defeat, the Cardinals' second and final loss.

Running undefeated in conference play (10-0) and claiming the 2026 NESCAC title, the Cardinals entered the NCAA Tournament and quickly sent No. 9 Washington & Lee home in the quarterfinals before knocking No. 1 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps from the tournament. Without No. 2 U. Chicago in the way, the Bears defeated No. 5 Babson to return to the national finals for the second year in a row.

While the Bears boast the top-ranked doubles team of Caitlin Bui and Eleanor Archer, they were no match for Leila Epstein and Lucinda Gatsiounis as play began. Archer and Bui climbed to a 3-0 lead at No. 1, but Epstein and Gatsiounis returned five in a row and smashed a sixth game to clinch doubles for the Cardinals in a 6-4 final. At No. 3, Kendall Smith and Mariia Kornilova ran back five games to serve Sam Slowik and Lily Brecknock a 6-2 defeat.

The Bears managed to tie the match up at one following a singles victory at No. 3, but Sarah Youngberg dropped a 6-4, 6-2 win over Amber Edmonds on court five. Edmonds fought Youngberg every step of the way through set one, yet could not catch Youngberg's maintained lead throughout.

Kornilova, who clinched the epic semifinal comeback win against Claremont-Mudd-Scipps, advanced the Cardinals to a 2-1 lead with her win at No. 4. Kornilova defeated Ally Lin in a 6-4, 6-4 victory. Kornilova sped by Lin early in set one, looking to hold a proper advantage, but Lin rallied three games late in the set. Unable to follow through on the comeback effort, Lin's lead in set two disintegrated under Kornilova's late run.

Sitting on a 3-1 lead with three matches still in play, the Cardinals' match point hinged on three tiebreaks. Facing Nina Moravek at No. 6, Natalia Leroy's efforts to tie her match with a 4-6, 7-6 (7-1) score created extra time for Epstein and Agnes Guggenheim. Her match would go unfinished.

At No. 1, Epstein played a career-defining match against Eliana Hanna. After losing the first set, Epstein caught Hanna on a three-game run and won five straight, forcing Hanna to a 6-7 (5-7) tiebreak. Epstein built a 5-1 advantage in set two, winning out 6-3 before entering the third set, where she led prior to Guggenheim's final point.

On the No. 2 court, Guggenheim overcame a 6-4 loss in the first set to win back-to-back second and third sets to clinch the title for the Cardinals. Guggenheim won the third set on a break to complete the comeback 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

At No. 3, Lara Afolayanka fell to Bui 2-6, 5-7 in the lone point declared by the Bears.