SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The No. 28 Slippery Rock University women's tennis team continues its run in the 2026 NCAA Tournament 3 p.m. Wednesday when it meets No. 4 Nova Southeastern University in the Round of 16 at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in Surprise, Arizona.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live in-match results will be provided by the Menlo College Sports Information department at the below link.
 
NCAA TOURNAMENT – ROUND of 16
Opponent: Nova Southeastern University
Date: Tuesday – 3 p.m. (EST)
Location: Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex - Surprise, Arizona.
Live Results: Link
All-Time Series: NSU leads 1-0
Last Played: May 21, 2025 (NSU won 4-0)
 
SERIES HISTORY
Tuesday's contest will be a re-match between The Rock and Sharks from last year's Round of 16 match that Nova Southeastern won 4-0.
 
Slippery Rock returns five athletes from last year's singles lineup, and two doubles teams, that competed against Nova Southeastern. The Sharks meanwhile return three competitors from last year's win over The Rock including Kristyna Hranacova, who was first in the nation in the most recent Division II Intercollegiate Tennis Association singles rankings.
 
NCAA TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE
The NCAA Tournament is comprised of 48 teams, 20 automatic berths and 28 at-large selections, spanning eight regions. The teams first played a single-elimination tournament at 16 preliminary round regional sites with the champions from each regional location having advanced to the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in Surprise, Arizona for the final four rounds which will be conducted over the next six days culminating with the national championship match 3 p.m. Saturday.
 
NCAA TOURNAMENT SCORING
The NCAA Tournament will run in a dual-match format with three doubles teams followed by six singles matches. The doubles matches will be played as three, six-game pro sets with a seven-point tiebreaker at six-all. Singles matches will be run as six best-of-three sets matches. Teams that win two of the three doubles matches earn a point. Each singles match earns a team one point. Teams must win four or more points to win a match.
 
SEEDING
At the conclusion of the regional tournaments, the 16 advancing teams were re-seeded to decide the bracket for the remainder of the NCAA Tournament. Slippery Rock was positioned 14th amongst the group while Nova Southeastern was slotted third behind No. 1 Mississippi College and No. 2 Grand Valley State.
 
A full tournament bracket can be viewed HERE.

NCAA Tournament Seeds
1-4: Mississippi (1), Grandy Valley State (2), Nova Southeastern (3), Catawba (4)
5-8: Findlay (5), Augustana (6), Azusa Pacific (7), Washburn (8)
9-12: Columbus State (9), UT Tyler (10), Midwestern State (11), Point Loma (12)
13-16: Queens (13), The Rock (14), IUP (15) Adelphi (16)
 
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Slippery Rock earned a second consecutive trip to the Round of 16 on the back of what's turned into one of the best seasons in program history.
 
SRU raced through the regular season with a dominant 12-3 overall record that included a 12-2 mark against Division II teams and a 5-1 showing inside the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division.
 
The Rock maintained their momentum in the PSAC Tournament by racking up consecutive 4-0 wins over West Chester, East Stroudsburg and IUP to claim its first conference championship in 23 years.
 
As the top seed out of the Atlantic Region in the NCAA Tournament, Slippery Rock garnered a first-round bye before defeating Fairmont State in another 4-0 result to vault the program into the Round of 16.
 
Nova Southeastern carries an 18-7 record into Tuesday's showdown with The Rock. Six of the Sharks' seven losses on the season came against top 10 teams in the ITA Division II rankings with the seventh coming to Keiser, the second-ranked team in the most recent ITA NAIA rankings.
 
NSU took third place in the Sunshine State Conference Tournament, easily earning an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament where it downed West Florida (4-2) and Embry-Riddle (4-1) for its spot in the Round of 16.
 
SRU NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Slippery Rock is in its 22nd NCAA Tournament all-time, the most of any team in the PSAC. SRU has now earned national tournament berths 17 times in the last 20 years under the direction of head coach Matt Meredith, who has been in charge of the program for 21 of The Rock's NCAA Tournament appearances overall.
 
SRU has won five regional championships (2026, 2025, 2010, 2008, 2003). To date, The Rock's best showing in the NCAA Tournament came in 2010 when they advanced to the national quarterfinals. Overall, Slippery Rock has won 18 matches in the NCAA Tournament all-time.
 
Nova Southeastern, which joined NCAA Division II in 2002, has established itself as one of the premiere programs in the nation over the last eight years. Since 2018-19, the Sharks have gone a combined 165-32 with seven NCAA Tournament berths. Nova Southeastern has been to the Division II championship match against Barry for three consecutive years with a national title in 2024 sandwiched between runner-up finishes in 2023 and 2025.
 
TO THE VICTOR GO THE SPOILS
Awards have been bountiful for members of the Slippery Rock women's tennis team in 2026.
 
Amaia Balaguer Brau
• ITA Atlantic Region Senior Player of the Year
• PSAC West Athlete of the Year
• First Team All-PSAC West (Singles)
• First Team All-PSAC West (Doubles)
• PSAC Tournament MVP
• PSAC West Athlete of the Week (1x)
 
Alissia Kivi 
• First Team All-PSAC West (Singles)
• First Team All-PSAC West (Doubles)
• PSAC West Athlete of the Week (2x)
• CSC Academic All-District
 
Nicole Kempton
• First Team All-PSAC West (Singles)
• First Team All-PSAC West (Doubles)
• PSAC Champion Scholar
• CSC Academic All-District
 
Tina Slovak
• First Team All-PSAC West (Doubles)
 
Dari Sakhanova
• ITA Atlantic Region Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award
• PSAC West Athlete of the Week (1x)
• CSC Academic All-District
 
Nadia Rodewald
• CSC Academic All-District
 
Matt Meredith
• PSAC West Coach of the Year
 
A SEASON TO REMEMBER
No matter the result of Tuesday's match, this year's Slippery Rock team has already achieved one of the top seasons in program history.
 
• 16 team wins: Seventh most in program history
• Seven-match winning streak: Seventh longest in program history
• Three 20-win singles athletes: Alissia Kivi (23), Amaia Balaguer Brau (22), Nicole Kempton (20)
• Three 20-win Doubles Teams: Rodewald / Sakhanova (23) Kempton / Kivi (21), Slovak / Balaguer Brau (20)
• First PSAC championship since 2003
• No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Region for the NCAA Tournament
 
PRESSURE PLAYERS
Slippery Rock has a wealth of postseason experience up and down its roster. Six members of SRU's 2026 roster have competed in singles matches in the postseason already in their careers during either conference tournament or NCAA Tournament competition.
 
SRU Records in the Postseason (PSAC / NCAA Tournament)
• Amaia Balaguer Brau*: 12-3
• Dari Sakhanova: 8-6
• Nicole Kempton: 6-2
• Alissia Kivi: 5-1
• Tina Slovak: 5-4
• Nadia Rodewald: 2-0
* Matches at Saint Thomas Aquinas included
 
ROCK ON A ROLL
Several members of The Rock's roster will bring impressive winning streaks into the Round of 16.
 
Singles Winning Streaks
Nadia Rodewald: 14
Amaia Balaguer Brau: 7
Alissia Kivi: 7
Nicole Kempton: 6
 
Doubles Winning Streaks
Tina Slovak / Amaia Balaguer Brau: 8
Dari Sakhanova / Nadia Rodewald: 6
 
ITA NATIONAL RANKINGS CHECK
Teams
No. 4: Nova Southeastern
No. 28: Slippery Rock
Singles
No. 1: Kristyna Hranacova (NSU)
No. 27: Chloe Henderson (NSU)
No. 41: Katja Markus (NSU)
No. 74: Alissia Kivi (SRU)
Doubles
No. 1: Kristyna Hranacova / Katja Markus (NSU)
No. 41: Nicole Kempton / Alissia Kivi (SRU)
 
BY THE (ITF World Tennis) NUMBERS
The ITF World Tennis Number provides a global rating standard for tennis players using a 40-1 scale, with 40 being a beginner player and 1 being an elite professional. The scale is for all players, regardless of age, gender, or ability. Below are the singles WTN's for the top Slippery Rock and Nova Southeastern athletes.
 
1. Kristyna Hranacova (NSU): 16.05
2. Katja Markus (NSU): 19.28
3. Chloe Henderson (NSU): 19.23
4. Amaia Balaguer Brau (SRU): 20.02
5. Jana Boegner (NSU): 20.36
6. Noemie Dadoun (NSU): 20.46
7. Alissia Kivi (SRU): 20.74
8. Amina Sagadiyeva (NSU): 21.32
9. Nicole Kempton (SRU): 21.87
10. Nadia Rodewald (SRU): 22.77
11. Dari Sakhanova (SRU): 23.10
12. Tina Slovak (SRU): 23.94
13. Gia Fine (NSU): 24.55
14. Anna Poranski (SRU): 28.28
 
CAREER WINS LIST CLIMBERS
Slippery Rock's quartet of Dari Sakhanova, Tina Slovak, Amaia Balaguer Brau and Nicole Kempton all enter the PSAC Tournament semifinals among the best athletes in program history in terms of career victories. All four have over 100 wins (singles+doubles) at SRU and rank in the top 12 in program history for wins.
 
SRU Career Wins List (5-12)
5. Gabriela del Val del Toro (2020-24): 141
6. Dari Sakhanova (2022-Active): 140
7. Jessica Hilborn (2006-10): 137
8. Lacey Cohen (2016-21): 129
9. Lois Page (2018-22): 126
t10. Tina Slovak (2022-Active): 123
t10. Amaia Balaguer Brau (2023-Active): 123
12. Nicole Kempton (2023-Active): 118
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
• Roster: Link
• Stats: Link
• Overall Record: 16-3
• Home Record: 5-0
• Away Record: 4-2
• Neutral Site Record: 7-1
• Last 5 Matches: 5-0
• Streak: W7
• Head Coach: Matt Meredith | 28th season (409-227, .640)
 
Last 5 Matches
May 9: vs. Fairmont State (W, 4-0)
May 2: vs. No. 24 IUP (W, 4-0)
May 1: vs. East Stroudsburg (W, 4-0)
April 27: vs. West Chester (W, 4-0)
April 22: vs. California (Pa.) (W, 6-1)
 
SCOUTING THE ROCK
As to be expected from a team that boasts a .842 winning percentage, Slippery Rock's roster is loaded with talent that has produced at the highest levels in both singles and doubles competition.
 
• Slippery Rock's three doubles pairings of Nicole Kempton / Alissia Kivi, Amaia Balaguer Brau / Tina Slovak and Nadia Rodewald / Dari Sakhanova have dominated the competition for the majority of the season, combining to earn the opening team point in 18 of 19 matches this year.
 
• The nationally ranked duo of Kivi and Kempton – which checked in at No. 41 in the most recent national doubles rankings released by the ITA – enter the Round of 16 at 21-11 overall and 12-5 in first flight dual bouts.
 
• Slovak and Balaguer Brau have strung together eight consecutive wins, upping their record to a stellar 20-4 overall including a 15-3 showing out of the second flight.
 
• Rodewald and Sakhanova have been virtually unbeatable this year with just two losses in 25 completed contests. As part of their 23-2 overall record is a 15-1 effort in third-flight outings.
 
• Things haven't got much easier for The Rock's opposition when singles matches begin as five members of SRU's standard singles lineup all have at least 15 wins this season.
 
• Kivi is in the midst of a great sophomore season in which the 2024-25 PSAC West Freshman of the Year has gone 23-4 overall and 14-3 out of the second flight. She enters the Nova Southeastern contest on a seven-match winning streak and as the No. 74 ranked singles athlete in Division II.
 
• Facing the toughest competition opponents have to offer, Balaguer dominant senior campaign has included a 22-7 overall record and a 15-4 effort from the top spot in the singles rotation.
 
• Competing out of the third flight is Kempton, who joins her counterparts from the first and second flights in the 20-win club at 20-6 overall (13-4 dual).
 
• Rodewald has won each of her last 14 finished matches, which is tied for the sixth longest recorded winning streak in program history. Rodewald's lengthy winning streak has improved her record to 19-6 overall (16-1 dual).
 
• Sakhanova is 16-6 on the year overall and 11-3 in dual matches primarily from the fifth flight (8-3). Rounding out the roster are Tina Slovak (6-7 overall, 5-6 from the fourth flight) and Anna Poranski (5-6 overall, 2-1 from the sixth flight).
 
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN PRIMER
• Roster: Link
• Stats: Link
• Overall Record: 18-7
• Home Record: 8-3
• Away Record: 5-2
• Neutral Site Record: 5-2
• Last 5 Matches: 4-1
• Streak: W3
• Head Coach: Doug Neagle | 10th season at NSU (183-56, .766)
 
Last 5 Matches
May 9: vs. Embry-Riddle (W, 4-1)
May 8: vs. West Florida (W, 4-2)
April 26: vs. Florida Southern (W, 4-0)
April 25: vs. Barry (L, 4-1)
April 24: vs. Lynn (W, 4-0)
 
PROBABLE LINEUP (Last Match Order)
Singles
1-Kristyna Hranacova (20-3)
2-Katja Markus (13-6)
3-Chloe Henderson (16-5)
4-Noemie Dadoun (15-7)
5-Jana Boegner (12-7)
6-Amina Sagadiyeva (12-8)
Doubles
1-Hranacova / Markus (15-4)
2-Henderson / Dadoun (13-9)
3-Boegner / Priscila Janikian (14-6)
 
UP NEXT
The winner of Tuesday's match moves on to the national quarterfinals against the winner of the Augustana-Midwestern State Round of 16 bout 6 p.m. Wednesday.
 




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