The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, March 7
Starkville, Miss.
4 PM
Ole Miss
at
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Mississippi State
Women’s Tennis Travels to No. 57 Mississippi State and No. 18 Alabama
3/6/2025 | Women's Tennis
OXFORD, Miss. – No. 54 Ole Miss women's tennis hits the road for a pair of ranked conference matches this weekend, starting in Starkville against No. 57 Mississippi State on Friday, March 7 at 4 p.m. Following the in-state battle, the team will travel to No. 18 Alabama on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT.
The Rebels (8-4, 1-2 SEC) are coming off their first victory over a ranked team this season, after a 4-0 sweep over No. 56 Kentucky on Sunday. To keep the winning streak alive, the Rebels must hand the Bulldogs (9-3, 0-3 SEC) their first home loss of the season. Ole Miss is 20-2 against its in-state foes with head coach Mark Beyers at the helm and have won the past six meetings.
Against Alabama (8-3, 2-1 SEC), Ole Miss leads 12-11 in the series under Beyers. The Rebels won last season's bout against the then-No. 21 Crimson Tide, 5-2, in Oxford.
Freshman Alice Soulié is on a five-match winning streak in singles, all in straight sets. Soulié is the first Rebel freshman to open her career with five victories in her first five appearances since 2016. Emma Kette opened her Ole Miss career in 2023 by winning six matches without falling, with two unfinished competitions along the way.
Should Soulié sweep the weekend and extend her opening winning streak to seven, she'd surpass teammate Kette and set her sights on Vivian Vlaar, who opened her Ole Miss career with nine consecutive straight set victories.
THE REBELS
Ludmila Kareisová (Sr.) – Liberec, Czechia
- Secured 50th career singles victory over No. 56 Kentucky
- Earned 50th career doubles win at ITA Sectionals.
- 2023 and 2025 NCAA Championships qualifiers in singles, and in doubles in 2025.
- Ranked No. 50 with Anaëlle Leclercq-Ficher in doubles in the most recent ITA polls.
- Tied with Nova for most dual victories for Ole Miss this season (six).
Emma Kette (Jr.) – Rammelsbach, Germany
- Advanced to semifinals at ITA Sectionals.
- Earned 30th career singles win at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic.
- Notched 20th career doubles win at the ITA Regionals.
Rachel Krzyzak (Sr.) – Milton, Ontario, Canada
- Led the team in singles victories with an overall 18-9 record in 2023-24.
- Holds a career singles record of 50-37, and is off to a 4-0 start in dual competition this season.
- Earned 50th career singles wins against No. 8 LSU.
Anaëlle Leclercq-Ficher (Sr.) - La Perche, France
- Notched a final four appearance in doubles with Kareisová at ITA Sectionals in 2024.
- Has tallied double-digit wins in doubles all three years of her career.
- 2025 NCAA Championships qualifier in singles and doubles.
- Notched 50th career doubles win against No. 7 Tennessee.
- Ranked No. 50 in doubles with Kareisová in the most recent ITA polls.
Andrea Nova (So.) – Prague, Czechia
- Recorded first singles win of the year at the June Stewart Invitational.
- Came to Ole Miss ranked as high as No. 298 in the ITF Junior Rankings.
- Clinched Ole Miss' 4-3 win over Utah at the ITA Kickoff Weekend with a 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1 victory on court six.
- Tied with Kareisová for most dual victories for Ole Miss this season (six).
Brooklyn Olson (Fr.) – Kansas City, Kansas
- Tallied first dual singles win against Tennessee State.
- Earned first career singles win at the June Stewart Invitational.
- Blue Chip five-star recruit.
- Ranked as high as 704 in ITF singles ranking.
- Reached Sweet 16 of the Les Petits As Junior Tournament in 2020.
- Undefeated in dual singles matches thus far (2-0).
Lucie Petruzelova (Sr.) – Zasova, Czech Republic
- Joined Ole Miss after three seasons with Charlotte.
- Earned first win as a Rebel at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic.
- Secured 75 overall singles wins against Memphis.
- Two-time All-Conference USA honors.
- 2025 NCAA Championships qualifier in singles.
Alice Soulié (Fr.) – Angers, France
- Signed in January 2025.
- Reached a career-high No. 413 in the ITF Junior rankings.
- Claimed 47 wins in the junior circuit.
- Added 31 wins since joining the professional ranks.
- Won first collegiate match in Tulsa in doubles and singles.
- Undefeated in first five appearances in dual singles.
Emily Welker (Gr.) – Limbach-Oberfrohna, Germany
- Signed in January 2025.
- Held a 13.7 World Tennis Number.
- Claimed first career title in the 2024 ITF/Tennis Europe W15 Bucharest.
- Reached a career-high ITF No. 26 singles ranking.
FAMILIAR FACES
Ole Miss has five players returning from last year's team. The three-headed monster in seniors Ludmila Kareisová, Rachel Krzyzak and Anaëlle Leclercq-Ficher will significantly impact this season. The trio contributed 17 of Ole Miss' singles wins in the fall season. In 2024, Krzyzak and Emma Kette led the team in singles wins with 18 and 17, respectively.
OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE NET
Mississippi State
The Bulldogs are undefeated with home-court advantage, holding a 9-0 record. Representing the back half of the lineup, sophomore Jayna Clemens is 7-0 on court six. Primarily in the first slot, Gianna Oboniye is 5-1. Obonyie is joined by Athina Pitta in doubles, to which they have a 7-1 start on the year on court one. The Bulldogs roster consists of a sea of freshman and sophomores, with senior Alessia Tagliente being the only upperclassman on the court. Tagliente competes primarily in the third position on the lineup card.
Alabama
The Crimson Tide 8-3 overall entering this weekend's events and are 2-1 in conference play. Alabama's roster is abundant with experienced upperclassmen. Graduate student and Charlotte transfer Margaux Maquet is 2-2 on the season, and alternates between the fourth and fifth position in singles. Maquet is partnered with Priya Nelson for doubles one, as the duo is undefeated thus far this season.
RANKED PLAYERS
Team:
No. 18 – Alabama
No. 54 – Ole Miss
No. 57 – Mississippi State
Singles:
No. 79- Petra Sedlackova (Alabama)
Doubles:
No. 50 - Anaëlle Lecerlcq-Ficher/Ludmila Kareisová (Ole Miss)
LEGEND STATUS
Head coach Mark Beyers secured his 300th win at the helm of Ole Miss' program this season against Alcorn State. The winningest head coach in program history, Beyers is the first head coach in Ole Miss women's tennis history to reach win No. 300. Beyers became the only active coach in the SEC with three generations of victories under their belt at their current institution.
The win over Alcorn State also marks No. 350 in his overall coaching career, after claiming 50 in three seasons with Armstrong Atlantic State prior to joining Ole Miss. He has the 23rd most wins among all active NCAA Division I coaches and sits atop the SEC in that category.
FRESHMAN PHENOMS
Head coach Mark Beyers added two freshmen to Ole Miss' mix for the 2024-25 campaign. Ole Miss added a second player from France in Alice Soulié, who was a midyear signee. She reached a career-high No. 413 in the ITF Junior rankings and added 31 wins since joining the professional ranks.
Soulié earned her first career title victory at the J5 Ponts de Ce in her home country of France. She joined Ole Miss with a WTN of 16.2 in singles and doubles. Soulié made her collegiate debut in both doubles and singles against Kansas City. The newcomer left her mark in Tulsa by winning with partner Anaëlle Leclercq-Ficher and claiming a 6-1, 6-0 singles win on court six. Soulié has made five starts on the season, with all five resulting in a victory brought by straight sets.
A Blue Chip five star recruit out of Kansas City, Kansas, Brooklyn Olson started her collegiate career as a Rebel this season. She was ranked as high as No. 704 in ITF singles, and the No. 26 recruit in the nation. She made her debut in doubles at the ITA Southern Regionals with Lucie Petruzelova, and advanced to the top 16. Olson earned her first dual singles win against Tennessee State with a perfect 6-0, 6-0 score. She became the first Ole Miss freshman since at least 2014-15 to open her career by not allowing a match point in her singles debut.
TRANSFER TO THE SIP
Graduate student Emily Welker joins the Rebels from Limbach-Oberfrohna, Germany, with a 13.7 World Tennis Number. She holds a 130-108 record in the professional circuit. Welker reached a career-high ITF singles ranking of No. 26 and claimed her first career title in the 2024 ITF/Tennis Europe W15 Bucharest 2 tournament as the sixth seed. She won four of her matches in straight sets, including in the final round, while upsetting the second- and third-ranked players in the tournament for her win. The German reached her highest singles career WTA ranking on March 20, 2023, placing No. 593.
The Rebels added Lucie Petruzelova from Charlotte through the transfer portal. Petruzelova spent three seasons at Charlotte and earned a combined 66-25 singles record and 58-42 doubles record. Petruzelova advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating three opponents in straight sets, including Auburn's Alice Battesi 6-4, 6-1. The senior hit a milestone overall career singles wins of 75 in the match against the Memphis Tigers.
STAY CONNECTED
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
FOLLOW THE REBELS ON SOCIAL
For more information on Ole Miss Women's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWTennis, on Facebook at OleMissWTennis and on Instagram at OleMissWTennis. Also follow Coach Beyers on Twitter, @MarkBeyers.
The Rebels (8-4, 1-2 SEC) are coming off their first victory over a ranked team this season, after a 4-0 sweep over No. 56 Kentucky on Sunday. To keep the winning streak alive, the Rebels must hand the Bulldogs (9-3, 0-3 SEC) their first home loss of the season. Ole Miss is 20-2 against its in-state foes with head coach Mark Beyers at the helm and have won the past six meetings.
Against Alabama (8-3, 2-1 SEC), Ole Miss leads 12-11 in the series under Beyers. The Rebels won last season's bout against the then-No. 21 Crimson Tide, 5-2, in Oxford.
Freshman Alice Soulié is on a five-match winning streak in singles, all in straight sets. Soulié is the first Rebel freshman to open her career with five victories in her first five appearances since 2016. Emma Kette opened her Ole Miss career in 2023 by winning six matches without falling, with two unfinished competitions along the way.
Should Soulié sweep the weekend and extend her opening winning streak to seven, she'd surpass teammate Kette and set her sights on Vivian Vlaar, who opened her Ole Miss career with nine consecutive straight set victories.
THE REBELS
Ludmila Kareisová (Sr.) – Liberec, Czechia
- Secured 50th career singles victory over No. 56 Kentucky
- Earned 50th career doubles win at ITA Sectionals.
- 2023 and 2025 NCAA Championships qualifiers in singles, and in doubles in 2025.
- Ranked No. 50 with Anaëlle Leclercq-Ficher in doubles in the most recent ITA polls.
- Tied with Nova for most dual victories for Ole Miss this season (six).
Emma Kette (Jr.) – Rammelsbach, Germany
- Advanced to semifinals at ITA Sectionals.
- Earned 30th career singles win at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic.
- Notched 20th career doubles win at the ITA Regionals.
Rachel Krzyzak (Sr.) – Milton, Ontario, Canada
- Led the team in singles victories with an overall 18-9 record in 2023-24.
- Holds a career singles record of 50-37, and is off to a 4-0 start in dual competition this season.
- Earned 50th career singles wins against No. 8 LSU.
Anaëlle Leclercq-Ficher (Sr.) - La Perche, France
- Notched a final four appearance in doubles with Kareisová at ITA Sectionals in 2024.
- Has tallied double-digit wins in doubles all three years of her career.
- 2025 NCAA Championships qualifier in singles and doubles.
- Notched 50th career doubles win against No. 7 Tennessee.
- Ranked No. 50 in doubles with Kareisová in the most recent ITA polls.
Andrea Nova (So.) – Prague, Czechia
- Recorded first singles win of the year at the June Stewart Invitational.
- Came to Ole Miss ranked as high as No. 298 in the ITF Junior Rankings.
- Clinched Ole Miss' 4-3 win over Utah at the ITA Kickoff Weekend with a 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1 victory on court six.
- Tied with Kareisová for most dual victories for Ole Miss this season (six).
Brooklyn Olson (Fr.) – Kansas City, Kansas
- Tallied first dual singles win against Tennessee State.
- Earned first career singles win at the June Stewart Invitational.
- Blue Chip five-star recruit.
- Ranked as high as 704 in ITF singles ranking.
- Reached Sweet 16 of the Les Petits As Junior Tournament in 2020.
- Undefeated in dual singles matches thus far (2-0).
Lucie Petruzelova (Sr.) – Zasova, Czech Republic
- Joined Ole Miss after three seasons with Charlotte.
- Earned first win as a Rebel at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic.
- Secured 75 overall singles wins against Memphis.
- Two-time All-Conference USA honors.
- 2025 NCAA Championships qualifier in singles.
Alice Soulié (Fr.) – Angers, France
- Signed in January 2025.
- Reached a career-high No. 413 in the ITF Junior rankings.
- Claimed 47 wins in the junior circuit.
- Added 31 wins since joining the professional ranks.
- Won first collegiate match in Tulsa in doubles and singles.
- Undefeated in first five appearances in dual singles.
Emily Welker (Gr.) – Limbach-Oberfrohna, Germany
- Signed in January 2025.
- Held a 13.7 World Tennis Number.
- Claimed first career title in the 2024 ITF/Tennis Europe W15 Bucharest.
- Reached a career-high ITF No. 26 singles ranking.
FAMILIAR FACES
Ole Miss has five players returning from last year's team. The three-headed monster in seniors Ludmila Kareisová, Rachel Krzyzak and Anaëlle Leclercq-Ficher will significantly impact this season. The trio contributed 17 of Ole Miss' singles wins in the fall season. In 2024, Krzyzak and Emma Kette led the team in singles wins with 18 and 17, respectively.
OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE NET
Mississippi State
The Bulldogs are undefeated with home-court advantage, holding a 9-0 record. Representing the back half of the lineup, sophomore Jayna Clemens is 7-0 on court six. Primarily in the first slot, Gianna Oboniye is 5-1. Obonyie is joined by Athina Pitta in doubles, to which they have a 7-1 start on the year on court one. The Bulldogs roster consists of a sea of freshman and sophomores, with senior Alessia Tagliente being the only upperclassman on the court. Tagliente competes primarily in the third position on the lineup card.
Alabama
The Crimson Tide 8-3 overall entering this weekend's events and are 2-1 in conference play. Alabama's roster is abundant with experienced upperclassmen. Graduate student and Charlotte transfer Margaux Maquet is 2-2 on the season, and alternates between the fourth and fifth position in singles. Maquet is partnered with Priya Nelson for doubles one, as the duo is undefeated thus far this season.
RANKED PLAYERS
Team:
No. 18 – Alabama
No. 54 – Ole Miss
No. 57 – Mississippi State
Singles:
No. 79- Petra Sedlackova (Alabama)
Doubles:
No. 50 - Anaëlle Lecerlcq-Ficher/Ludmila Kareisová (Ole Miss)
LEGEND STATUS
Head coach Mark Beyers secured his 300th win at the helm of Ole Miss' program this season against Alcorn State. The winningest head coach in program history, Beyers is the first head coach in Ole Miss women's tennis history to reach win No. 300. Beyers became the only active coach in the SEC with three generations of victories under their belt at their current institution.
The win over Alcorn State also marks No. 350 in his overall coaching career, after claiming 50 in three seasons with Armstrong Atlantic State prior to joining Ole Miss. He has the 23rd most wins among all active NCAA Division I coaches and sits atop the SEC in that category.
FRESHMAN PHENOMS
Head coach Mark Beyers added two freshmen to Ole Miss' mix for the 2024-25 campaign. Ole Miss added a second player from France in Alice Soulié, who was a midyear signee. She reached a career-high No. 413 in the ITF Junior rankings and added 31 wins since joining the professional ranks.
Soulié earned her first career title victory at the J5 Ponts de Ce in her home country of France. She joined Ole Miss with a WTN of 16.2 in singles and doubles. Soulié made her collegiate debut in both doubles and singles against Kansas City. The newcomer left her mark in Tulsa by winning with partner Anaëlle Leclercq-Ficher and claiming a 6-1, 6-0 singles win on court six. Soulié has made five starts on the season, with all five resulting in a victory brought by straight sets.
A Blue Chip five star recruit out of Kansas City, Kansas, Brooklyn Olson started her collegiate career as a Rebel this season. She was ranked as high as No. 704 in ITF singles, and the No. 26 recruit in the nation. She made her debut in doubles at the ITA Southern Regionals with Lucie Petruzelova, and advanced to the top 16. Olson earned her first dual singles win against Tennessee State with a perfect 6-0, 6-0 score. She became the first Ole Miss freshman since at least 2014-15 to open her career by not allowing a match point in her singles debut.
TRANSFER TO THE SIP
Graduate student Emily Welker joins the Rebels from Limbach-Oberfrohna, Germany, with a 13.7 World Tennis Number. She holds a 130-108 record in the professional circuit. Welker reached a career-high ITF singles ranking of No. 26 and claimed her first career title in the 2024 ITF/Tennis Europe W15 Bucharest 2 tournament as the sixth seed. She won four of her matches in straight sets, including in the final round, while upsetting the second- and third-ranked players in the tournament for her win. The German reached her highest singles career WTA ranking on March 20, 2023, placing No. 593.
The Rebels added Lucie Petruzelova from Charlotte through the transfer portal. Petruzelova spent three seasons at Charlotte and earned a combined 66-25 singles record and 58-42 doubles record. Petruzelova advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating three opponents in straight sets, including Auburn's Alice Battesi 6-4, 6-1. The senior hit a milestone overall career singles wins of 75 in the match against the Memphis Tigers.
STAY CONNECTED
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
FOLLOW THE REBELS ON SOCIAL
For more information on Ole Miss Women's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWTennis, on Facebook at OleMissWTennis and on Instagram at OleMissWTennis. Also follow Coach Beyers on Twitter, @MarkBeyers.
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Players Mentioned
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