NORMAN – The Oklahoma women’s tennis team opens the 2026 season ranked sixth in the both the ITA preseason rankings and the Southeastern Conference’s preseason coaches poll.
Coming off a 2025 season that culminated in the program’s 16th NCAA tournament appearance and sixth under head coach Audra Cohen, the Sooners will take the court with their fourth consecutive top-20 ITA preseason ranking, the association announced Wednesday.
Oklahoma returns five players from last season’s squad including All-SEC selection Julia Garcia Ruiz, along with Roisin Gilheany, Chloé Noël, Gloriana Nahum and All-SEC Freshman Team honoree Salakthip Ounmuang. Cohen and the Sooners also welcomed Florida International transfer Oyinlomo Quadre and freshmen Laura Brunkel, Evialina Laskevich and Edda Mamedova to the squad for the 2025 fall season.
OU was also picked sixth in the preseason SEC poll, the conference announced Thursday. The Sooners earn their placements following a strong 2025 season that ended in the NCAA Second Round. The team totaled 20 wins, including eight against top-25 opponents, secured a top-three seed at the SEC Championship and saw seven athletes featured in the ITA rankings, which marked the most simultaneous ranked players in the Cohen era.
The Sooners open their season on Friday, Jan. 15, hosting a doubleheader against Tarleton State and Wyoming.
For updates, follow @OU_WTennis on Twitter or like Oklahoma Women’s Tennis on Facebook.
ITA PRESEASON POLL
1. Georgia
2. Texas A&M
3. North Carolina
4. Auburn
5. LSU
6. Oklahoma
7. Michigan
8. Duke
9. Stanford
10. Oklahoma State
11. NC State
12. Texas
13. Ohio State
14. Virginia
15. California
16. Tennessee
17. UCLA
18. Vanderbilt
19. USC
20. Texas Tech
21. Pepperdine
22. Washington
23. Florida
24. UCF
25. Baylor
SEC PRESEASON POLL
1. Georgia
2. Auburn
3. LSU
4. Texas A&M
5. Texas
6. Oklahoma
7. Florida
8. Vanderbilt
9. Tennessee
10. Alabama
11. South Carolina
12. Ole Miss
13. Kentucky
14. Mississippi State
15. Arkansas
16. Missouri