Photo by: Seth Seebaugh / Wake Forest Athletics
Women’s Tennis Inks a Trio of Deacs on 2025 National Signing Day
11/14/2025 2:21:00 PM | Women's Tennis
High national rankings headline the Demon Deacons’ group of three.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – In the midst of this year's National Signing Day, Wake Forest women's tennis head coach Jeff Wyshner announced the additions of Lillian Santos, Catherine Rennard and Bella Jacutin-Mariona on Friday. The three signees make up the Demon Deacons' 2026 high school recruiting class.
Santos and Rennard have earned Blue Chip recruit status, making Wake Forest one of six schools to land two Blue Chip signees this year. The Deacs join the company of Georgia, Florida State, North Carolina, Stanford and Texas A&M.
"I am really excited about our incoming fall 2026 freshmen class," said Coach Wyshner. "All three have been ranked this year as top-25 prospects in the class of 2026. It is without a doubt one of the strongest classes in the country for 2026 and in my 16 years at Wake. Beyond that, I think that all three really bring a positive and energetic personality, as well as a love for playing tennis. Those attributes are the top priorities for what we look for in future Deacs. All three have shown real improvement in their games over the past 12 months, and I am both hopeful and confident that they will continue to improve over the next year and in their four years at Wake Forest! If they do, then I think we could be celebrating graduation in 2030 with one of the most successful classes in school history! Congratulations to Bella, Catherine and Lillian! Go Deacs!"
Lillian Santos | Scituate, Mass. | ICL Academy
Standing as the No. 1 recruit in the state of Massachusetts, Lillian currently ranks No. 28 nationally and had a high of No. 20 earlier this year in June. She has competed as a top-35 player since 2023 and is also second overall among New England. Lillian's recent accolades include being a National Clay Courts champion and a doubles finalist in both the J300 and J200 within the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour Juniors circuit. She has worked with coaches Lan Bale, Troy Crichlow and Jesse Adarme.
From Coach Wyshner
"Lillian is going to be such an exceptional addition to our team and to Wake Forest. She is one of the most passionate tennis players I have ever met while also being incredibly positive, bubbly and fun to be around. We cannot wait to bring her in as an outstanding addition!"
Catherine Rennard | Asheville, N.C. | Covenant Academy of Asheville
An in-state native, Catherine comes in as North Carolina's No. 1 player. She is also currently sitting at a career-high No. 16 nationally after rising 16 spots dating back to June 2024. The Asheville product has taken a leap each year since her freshman campaign, when she rested just inside the top 50. Months ago, in August, Catherine enjoyed a standout showing at the 2025 USTA Billie Jean King Girls National Championships, playing her way into a doubles finalist. She has worked with coaches Matt Frost, John Farrington and Michael Pritchard.
From Coach Wyshner
"I first saw Catherine play as a 10-year old when my daughter would play in some of the same North Carolina and Southern tennis tournaments as Catherine was playing. She was already very good then, and she has gotten better and better as every year goes by. That she is an incredible competitor on the court while being one of the nicest people off the court you'll ever meet made her a player that I've wanted to recruit to Wake since her freshman year! It isn't an accident that she is at her highest ranking within the Class of 2026 … she loves to work on her game, and we look forward to helping her do that at Wake!"
Bella Jacutin-Mariona | Los Altos, California | Los Altos High School
Hailing from the West Coast and a family full of athletes, Bella has made a notable jump as one of the top recruits within California. She has ranked as high as No. 7 in the state and is No. 35 in the country. During the summer, Bella was just outside the top-20 national rankings at No. 21. A captain for the Los Altos Eagles, she has helped pace the program to exceptional success as one of California's top high school teams – making history last winter after winning the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Northern California Championship and Central Coast Section (CCS). Bella has been coached by her mother, Marisue Jacutin-Mariona, while also working with Francisco and his staff at Silicon Valley Tennis, coaches Jeff Aaron, Dimitry Dzyuba, Dixie Macas and her Los Altos High School coaches Hung Nguyen and Steve Apfelberg.
From Coach Wyshner
"I feel so lucky that Bella was still uncommitted and willing to visit Wake when we realized this past August that we wanted to bring in a 3rd commit for fall 2026. Between December 2024 and June 2025, she went from No. 39 to No. 21 nationally in her class! She comes from a family where her grandfather, father and brother all played professional soccer and her mom was a professional tennis player who was a mainstay of the Filipino Fed Cup Team in the late 1990s, now serving as Bella's coach. Unlike many of her peers, she has stayed in a traditional, in-person high school environment where she has been a key part of highly successful high school tennis and soccer teams! Her energy and familiarity with team settings will definitely be a huge asset for our program over the next four years! I can't wait to get her to campus next August!"
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Santos and Rennard have earned Blue Chip recruit status, making Wake Forest one of six schools to land two Blue Chip signees this year. The Deacs join the company of Georgia, Florida State, North Carolina, Stanford and Texas A&M.
"I am really excited about our incoming fall 2026 freshmen class," said Coach Wyshner. "All three have been ranked this year as top-25 prospects in the class of 2026. It is without a doubt one of the strongest classes in the country for 2026 and in my 16 years at Wake. Beyond that, I think that all three really bring a positive and energetic personality, as well as a love for playing tennis. Those attributes are the top priorities for what we look for in future Deacs. All three have shown real improvement in their games over the past 12 months, and I am both hopeful and confident that they will continue to improve over the next year and in their four years at Wake Forest! If they do, then I think we could be celebrating graduation in 2030 with one of the most successful classes in school history! Congratulations to Bella, Catherine and Lillian! Go Deacs!"
Lillian Santos | Scituate, Mass. | ICL Academy
Standing as the No. 1 recruit in the state of Massachusetts, Lillian currently ranks No. 28 nationally and had a high of No. 20 earlier this year in June. She has competed as a top-35 player since 2023 and is also second overall among New England. Lillian's recent accolades include being a National Clay Courts champion and a doubles finalist in both the J300 and J200 within the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour Juniors circuit. She has worked with coaches Lan Bale, Troy Crichlow and Jesse Adarme.
From Coach Wyshner
"Lillian is going to be such an exceptional addition to our team and to Wake Forest. She is one of the most passionate tennis players I have ever met while also being incredibly positive, bubbly and fun to be around. We cannot wait to bring her in as an outstanding addition!"
Catherine Rennard | Asheville, N.C. | Covenant Academy of Asheville
An in-state native, Catherine comes in as North Carolina's No. 1 player. She is also currently sitting at a career-high No. 16 nationally after rising 16 spots dating back to June 2024. The Asheville product has taken a leap each year since her freshman campaign, when she rested just inside the top 50. Months ago, in August, Catherine enjoyed a standout showing at the 2025 USTA Billie Jean King Girls National Championships, playing her way into a doubles finalist. She has worked with coaches Matt Frost, John Farrington and Michael Pritchard.
From Coach Wyshner
"I first saw Catherine play as a 10-year old when my daughter would play in some of the same North Carolina and Southern tennis tournaments as Catherine was playing. She was already very good then, and she has gotten better and better as every year goes by. That she is an incredible competitor on the court while being one of the nicest people off the court you'll ever meet made her a player that I've wanted to recruit to Wake since her freshman year! It isn't an accident that she is at her highest ranking within the Class of 2026 … she loves to work on her game, and we look forward to helping her do that at Wake!"
Bella Jacutin-Mariona | Los Altos, California | Los Altos High School
Hailing from the West Coast and a family full of athletes, Bella has made a notable jump as one of the top recruits within California. She has ranked as high as No. 7 in the state and is No. 35 in the country. During the summer, Bella was just outside the top-20 national rankings at No. 21. A captain for the Los Altos Eagles, she has helped pace the program to exceptional success as one of California's top high school teams – making history last winter after winning the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Northern California Championship and Central Coast Section (CCS). Bella has been coached by her mother, Marisue Jacutin-Mariona, while also working with Francisco and his staff at Silicon Valley Tennis, coaches Jeff Aaron, Dimitry Dzyuba, Dixie Macas and her Los Altos High School coaches Hung Nguyen and Steve Apfelberg.
From Coach Wyshner
"I feel so lucky that Bella was still uncommitted and willing to visit Wake when we realized this past August that we wanted to bring in a 3rd commit for fall 2026. Between December 2024 and June 2025, she went from No. 39 to No. 21 nationally in her class! She comes from a family where her grandfather, father and brother all played professional soccer and her mom was a professional tennis player who was a mainstay of the Filipino Fed Cup Team in the late 1990s, now serving as Bella's coach. Unlike many of her peers, she has stayed in a traditional, in-person high school environment where she has been a key part of highly successful high school tennis and soccer teams! Her energy and familiarity with team settings will definitely be a huge asset for our program over the next four years! I can't wait to get her to campus next August!"
Follow the Deacs
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