‘A special group’: Utah women’s tennis team returns to NCAA Tournament for first time in 14 years

Utah huddles up as it plays Arizona at the George S. Eccles Tennis Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, April 9, 2026. | John Zelinka Utah’s women’s tennis team gathered in the lobby of the Eccles Tennis Center and watched Monday’s NCAA tournament selection show with anticipation, nervousness and excitement.

The Utes ended the season with a 15-9 record and an ITA team ranking of 38, and were on the bubble of an at-large bid to the 64-team NCAA tournament. “I think we all knew, just as a team, we’re good enough to play in this tournament and we’ve had great results,” said senior Emmie Moore. “We were all just really hopeful that we could get another chance at it because we’ve had a great season, a couple losses at the end, but we know overall as a team we’re pretty hard to beat and I think we could hang with anyone and beat anybody.

” As Utah’s name flashed across the screen during the selection show, the room erupted in cheers, with players hugging each other and celebrating the Utes’ invitation to the dance. For the first time since 2012, the first year the Utes were part of the Pac-12 Conference, Utah is headed to the NCAA women’s tennis tournament, where it will face Cal (No. 22 in the ITA rankings) in the first round.

“I think they’re thrilled to be going and representing the University of Utah and proud to be able to be the team that’s finally going back to the NCAAs for the U. ,” said coach RuthAnn Allen. This season, the Utes posted a winning record in conference play (8-5) for the first time ever as a member of a power conference.