Wake Forest Athletics
Thursday, October 15
Columbia, S.C.
Wake Forest University
vs
ITA Regional Championships
Hill, Rennard Shine as Wake Forest Concludes Play at ITA Carolina Regional
10/19/2026 5:44:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Junior Claire Hill advanced to the quarterfinals while freshman Catherine Rennard earned a top-100 victory en route to the round of 16.
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Led by strong performances by junior Claire Hill and freshman Catherine Rennard, the Wake Forest women's tennis team concluded play at the ITA Carolina Regional on Monday afternoon at the Carolina Tennis Center.
Hill led the way for the Demon Deacons as she advanced to the main draw singles quarterfinals.
The Cary, N.C., native opened competition with a straight-set victory over NC State's Amelie Smejkalova on Friday before defeating Cornelia Kack of Elon 7-5, 6-3, in the round of 32 on Saturday. Hill continued her run on Sunday as she battled past Clemson's Candela Yecora in three sets to move on to the quarterfinals.
Rennard also added a deep run in singles action during her first career appearance at the ITA Regionals as she went from the first round of qualifying to the round of 16.
The Asheville, N.C., native won both of her qualifying matches, earning victories over UNCG's Sara Kostic and South Carolina's Francie Pate.
After defeating Furman's Elle Warren in three sets in the opening round of the main draw, Rennard recorded the biggest win of her career, defeating No. 95 Nicole Khirin of North Carolina 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the round of 16.
Elsewhere, sophomore Evie Oxford picked up three singles victories to advance to the semifinals of the consolation bracket.
Three Wake Forest doubles teams also earned victories in the main draw.
Oxford and senior Sankavi Gownder secured an 8-3 victory over App State's Manyube/Hodson, while junior Kady Tannenbaum and freshman Lillian Santos defeated Katzman/Rodrigo of Presbyterian, 8-7 (7-2). Senior Aubrey Nisbet and junior Heidi Bulger also added an 8-5 win over UNCG's Sala Sanchez/Thomson.
Overall, the Deacs totaled 20 wins across singles and doubles play.
Daily Results
Thursday, Oct. 15
From Coach Wyshner
"It was a really good ITA Regionals for us, especially in singles play. Claire [Hill] was great as she reached the quarterfinals and qualified for sectionals, which is the best opportunity for us to make the NCAAs this fall. Catherine [Rennard] also made a great run through qualifying and added two big wins in the main draw, including a victory against a former top 15 player and a 2025 All-American. Overall, we advanced three through qualifying into the main draw. Evie [Oxford] was still playing in the consolation bracket of singles on Monday, reaching the semifinals. Our doubles wasn't what I hoped it would be, but that's better to see now than in January. We're looking forward to a few more weeks of work this fall, and then the spring season will be here quickly."
Up Next
Wake Forest returns to competition at the ITA Sectional Championships, scheduled for Nov. 5-8 in Philadelphia.
Hill led the way for the Demon Deacons as she advanced to the main draw singles quarterfinals.
The Cary, N.C., native opened competition with a straight-set victory over NC State's Amelie Smejkalova on Friday before defeating Cornelia Kack of Elon 7-5, 6-3, in the round of 32 on Saturday. Hill continued her run on Sunday as she battled past Clemson's Candela Yecora in three sets to move on to the quarterfinals.
Rennard also added a deep run in singles action during her first career appearance at the ITA Regionals as she went from the first round of qualifying to the round of 16.
The Asheville, N.C., native won both of her qualifying matches, earning victories over UNCG's Sara Kostic and South Carolina's Francie Pate.
After defeating Furman's Elle Warren in three sets in the opening round of the main draw, Rennard recorded the biggest win of her career, defeating No. 95 Nicole Khirin of North Carolina 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the round of 16.
Elsewhere, sophomore Evie Oxford picked up three singles victories to advance to the semifinals of the consolation bracket.
Three Wake Forest doubles teams also earned victories in the main draw.
Oxford and senior Sankavi Gownder secured an 8-3 victory over App State's Manyube/Hodson, while junior Kady Tannenbaum and freshman Lillian Santos defeated Katzman/Rodrigo of Presbyterian, 8-7 (7-2). Senior Aubrey Nisbet and junior Heidi Bulger also added an 8-5 win over UNCG's Sala Sanchez/Thomson.
Overall, the Deacs totaled 20 wins across singles and doubles play.
Daily Results
Thursday, Oct. 15
- Qualifying Singles (Round of 64)
- Aubrey Nisbet (WFU) def. Katerina Marsalkova (South Carolina State) 6-3, 6-4
- Catherine Renard (WFU) def. Sara Kostic (UNCG) 6-0, 6-0
- Lillian Santos (WFU) def. Alexis Nyborg (Elon) 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2)
- Heidi Bulger (WFU) def. Ruby Broadbent (App State) 6-2, 6-1
- Alana Boyce (UNC) def. Kady Tannenbaum (WFU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
- Qualifying Singles (Round of 32)
- Catherine Rennard (WFU) def. Francie Pate (South Carolina) 6-3, 6-4
- Lillian Santos (WFU) def. Kayley Bushnell (UNCG) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
- Heidi Bulger (WFU) def. Alexandria Warsing (Elon) 6-0, 6-2
- Floortje Chrisstoffels (Coastal Carolina) def. Aubrey Nisbet (WFU) 6-3, 6-2
- Main Draw Doubles (Round of 64)
- Santos/Tannenbaum (WFU) def. Katzman/Rodrigo (Presbyterian) 8-7 (7-2)
- Nisbet/Bulger (WFU) def. Sala Sanchez/Thomson (UNCG) 8-5
- Gownder/Oxford (WFU) def. Manyube/Hodson (App State) 8-3
- Boyce/Rabman (UNC) def. Rennard/Hill (WFU) 8-4
- Main Draw Singles (Round of 64)
- Catherine Rennard (WFU) def. Elle Warren (Furman) 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)
- Claire Hill (WFU) def. Amelie Smejkalova (NC State) 6-2, 6-1
- Eleana Yu (Duke) def. Heidi Bulger (WFU) 6-1, 6-3
- No. 85 Avery Nguyen (UNC) def. No. 121 Sankavi Gownder (WFU) 6-2, 6-3
- Pietra Rivoli (South Carolina) def. Lillian Santos (WFU) 6-3, 6-4
- Maddy Zampardo (UNC) def. Evie Oxford (WFU) 6-2, 7-6 (7-2)
- Main Draw Doubles (Round of 32)
- Hitchcock/Robinson (Furman) def. Santos/Tannenbaum (WFU) 8-5
- DeFord/Ahmad (College of Charleston) def. Nisbet/Bulger (WFU) 8-5
- Auerswald/Calvo (ECU) def. Gownder/Oxford (WFU) 8-5
- Main Draw Singles (Round of 32)
- Catherine Rennard (WFU) def. No. 95 Nicole Khirin (UNC) 6-4, 6-3
- Claire Hill (WFU) def. Cornelia Kack (Elon) 7-5, 6-3
- Consolation Singles (Round of 32)
- Evie Oxford (WFU) def. Mariya Dobreva (WCU) 6-3, 6-2
- Heidi Bulger (WFU) def. Ria Bhakta (Clemson) withdrew
- Lillian Santos (WFU) def. Shavit Kimchi (Duke) withdrew
- Bryson Langford (Davidson) def. No. 121 Sankavi Gownder (WFU) 7-6 (7-4), 1-6, 10-3
- Main Draw Singles (Round of 16)
- Claire Hill (WFU) def. Candela Yecora (Clemson) 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 (7-3)
- Jana Stojanova (South Carolina) def. Catherine Rennard (WFU) 6-4, 6-3
- Consolation Singles (Round of 16)
- Evie Oxford (WFU) def. Mary Grace Rennard (UNC) 6-3, 7-5
- Andrea Chacon (Charlotte) def. Heidi Bulger (WFU) 6-3, 6-2
- Simone Bergeron (Elon) def. Lillian Santos (WFU) 3-6, 6-2, 10-7
- Main Draw Singles (Quarterfinals)
- No. 23 Kaitlyn Carnicella def. Claire Hill (WFU) 6-2, 6-0
- Consolation Singles (Quarterfinals)
- Evie Oxford (WFU) def. Simone Bergeron (Elon) 6-1, 6-0
- Consolation Singles (Semifinals)
- Amelie Smejkalova (NC State) def. Evie Oxford (WFU) 6-3, 6-2
From Coach Wyshner
"It was a really good ITA Regionals for us, especially in singles play. Claire [Hill] was great as she reached the quarterfinals and qualified for sectionals, which is the best opportunity for us to make the NCAAs this fall. Catherine [Rennard] also made a great run through qualifying and added two big wins in the main draw, including a victory against a former top 15 player and a 2025 All-American. Overall, we advanced three through qualifying into the main draw. Evie [Oxford] was still playing in the consolation bracket of singles on Monday, reaching the semifinals. Our doubles wasn't what I hoped it would be, but that's better to see now than in January. We're looking forward to a few more weeks of work this fall, and then the spring season will be here quickly."
Up Next
Wake Forest returns to competition at the ITA Sectional Championships, scheduled for Nov. 5-8 in Philadelphia.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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