Sunday, May 17
Athens, Ga.
6:00 PM
Texas A&M
4
vs
1
Auburn
Photo by: Cooper Daniels/Texas A&M Athletics
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
May 17, 2026 | Women's Tennis
ATHENS – Daria Smetannikov nailed down the clinching point as the Texas A&M Aggies staked claim to their second NCAA Women's Tennis Championship in the last three years Sunday evening at Georgia's Magill Tennis Complex.
The Aggie senior watched a forehand by Auburn's Ava Esposito go wide right to earn the win in her final match wearing the Maroon & White. Smetannikov's 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory on court 6 iced the 4-1 triumph over the No. 1 Tigers.
Texas A&M, playing in its third consecutive NCAA Championship title match, finished the campaign 28-5. The national trophy has a place next to the one earned in 2024.
Two players who were not on the 2024 squad made their impact in this year's title bout. Violeta Martinez, who finished 5-0 in singles action at the NCAA Tournament, put the Aggies up 2-0 with her 7-5, 6-1 victory over Ashton Bowers on court 5. Lexington Reed's 7-6, 6-3 triumph over Merna Refaat on court 4 pushed Texas A&M one match from glory and setting up Smetannikov's shining moment.
Doubles action had been the Aggies' bugaboo in recent weeks, relinquishing the first point in seven of their last 11 matches, including each of the last four contests. This evening was a different story.
The first two doubles matches went down in rapid fashion. Auburn prevailed on court 2 with Angella Okutoyi/Refaat besting Martinez/Ilinca Amariei, 6-1. Smetannikov/Reed returned the favor with a 6-1 triumph over Ekaterina Khairutdinova/Bowers on court 3. The Aggies earned the point with a tie-breaker win on the marquee court. No. 11 Lucciana Perez/Mia Kupres bested XX Ava Espoito/DJ Bennett, 7-6(3).
Smetannikov was named the NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player. She was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Perez, Kupres, Reed and Martinez.
When match was completed, Perez, the No. 1 singles player in the country was leading Bennett on court 1, 2-6, 6-2, 4-3. Perez wrapped up the season with Texas A&M's first-ever undefeated singles campaign, finishing 28-0.
In her last collegiate match, Kupres was tied with Khairutdinova on court 2, 7-6(2), 3-6, 1-1. She wrapped up her career with 86 singles victories.
#3 Texas A&M 4, #1 Auburn 1
Magill Tennis Complex – Athens, Georgia
SINGLES
#1 Lucciana Perez (A&M) vs. #16 DJ Bennett (AU) – 2-6, 6-2, 4-3, unfinished
#50 Mia Kupres (A&M) vs. #31 Ekaterina Khairutdinova (AU) – 7-6(2), 3-6, 1-1, unfinished
#55 Angella Okutoyi (AU) def. #71 Ilinca Amariei (A&M) – 6-2, 6-2
#106 Lexington Reed (A&M) def. Merna Refaat (AU) – 7-6(5), 6-3
Violeta Martinez (A&M) def. #58 Ashton Bowers (AU) – 7-5, 6-1
#98 Daria Smetannikov (A&M) def. #68 Ava Esposito (AU) – 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish: 5,3,4,6
DOUBLES
#11 Lucciana Perez/Mia Kupres (A&M) vs. #2 Ava Esposito/DJ Bennett (AU) – 7-6(3)
#8 Angella Okutoyi/Merna Refaat (AU) def. #35 Violeta Martinez/Ilinca Amariei (A&M) – 6-1
Daria Smetannikov/Lexington Reed (A&M) vs. Ekaterina Khairutdinova/Ashton Bowers (AU) – 6-1
Order of finish: 2,3,1
The Aggie senior watched a forehand by Auburn's Ava Esposito go wide right to earn the win in her final match wearing the Maroon & White. Smetannikov's 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory on court 6 iced the 4-1 triumph over the No. 1 Tigers.
Texas A&M, playing in its third consecutive NCAA Championship title match, finished the campaign 28-5. The national trophy has a place next to the one earned in 2024.
Two players who were not on the 2024 squad made their impact in this year's title bout. Violeta Martinez, who finished 5-0 in singles action at the NCAA Tournament, put the Aggies up 2-0 with her 7-5, 6-1 victory over Ashton Bowers on court 5. Lexington Reed's 7-6, 6-3 triumph over Merna Refaat on court 4 pushed Texas A&M one match from glory and setting up Smetannikov's shining moment.
Doubles action had been the Aggies' bugaboo in recent weeks, relinquishing the first point in seven of their last 11 matches, including each of the last four contests. This evening was a different story.
The first two doubles matches went down in rapid fashion. Auburn prevailed on court 2 with Angella Okutoyi/Refaat besting Martinez/Ilinca Amariei, 6-1. Smetannikov/Reed returned the favor with a 6-1 triumph over Ekaterina Khairutdinova/Bowers on court 3. The Aggies earned the point with a tie-breaker win on the marquee court. No. 11 Lucciana Perez/Mia Kupres bested XX Ava Espoito/DJ Bennett, 7-6(3).
Smetannikov was named the NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player. She was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Perez, Kupres, Reed and Martinez.
When match was completed, Perez, the No. 1 singles player in the country was leading Bennett on court 1, 2-6, 6-2, 4-3. Perez wrapped up the season with Texas A&M's first-ever undefeated singles campaign, finishing 28-0.
In her last collegiate match, Kupres was tied with Khairutdinova on court 2, 7-6(2), 3-6, 1-1. She wrapped up her career with 86 singles victories.
#3 Texas A&M 4, #1 Auburn 1
Magill Tennis Complex – Athens, Georgia
SINGLES
#1 Lucciana Perez (A&M) vs. #16 DJ Bennett (AU) – 2-6, 6-2, 4-3, unfinished
#50 Mia Kupres (A&M) vs. #31 Ekaterina Khairutdinova (AU) – 7-6(2), 3-6, 1-1, unfinished
#55 Angella Okutoyi (AU) def. #71 Ilinca Amariei (A&M) – 6-2, 6-2
#106 Lexington Reed (A&M) def. Merna Refaat (AU) – 7-6(5), 6-3
Violeta Martinez (A&M) def. #58 Ashton Bowers (AU) – 7-5, 6-1
#98 Daria Smetannikov (A&M) def. #68 Ava Esposito (AU) – 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish: 5,3,4,6
DOUBLES
#11 Lucciana Perez/Mia Kupres (A&M) vs. #2 Ava Esposito/DJ Bennett (AU) – 7-6(3)
#8 Angella Okutoyi/Merna Refaat (AU) def. #35 Violeta Martinez/Ilinca Amariei (A&M) – 6-1
Daria Smetannikov/Lexington Reed (A&M) vs. Ekaterina Khairutdinova/Ashton Bowers (AU) – 6-1
Order of finish: 2,3,1
All-Tournament Team
Doubles
1. #19 Anastasiia Lopata/Patricija Paukstyte (UGA)
2. #8 Angella Okutoyi/Merna Refaat (AUBURN)
3. Emma Dong/Anastasiia Gureva (UGA)
Singles
1. #1 Lucciana Perez (TEXAS A&M)
2. #50 Mia Kupres (TEXAS A&M)
3. #55 Angella Okutoyi (AUBURN)
4. #106 Lexington Reed (TEXAS A&M)
5. Violeta Martinez (TEXAS A&M)
6. #98 Daria Smetannikov (TEXAS A&M)
Tournament MVP: Daria Smetannikov (TEXAS A&M)
AGGIES WIN pic.twitter.com/SIHIIwVjMF
— Texas A&M Women's Tennis (@AggieWTEN) May 18, 2026
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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