– Seward women’s tennis student-athletes Mishel Lobotenko and Apolline Duclos have qualified for the 2026 ITA Cup in Rome, Georgia, after strong performances at the ITA Central Regional Small College Championships in Pratt.
Formerly known as the National Small College Championships, the ITA Cup is a premier annual collegiate tennis tournament administered by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The 2026 event will be held at the Rome Tennis Center, with play beginning Thursday and concluding Sunday.
Lobotenko, a sophomore, qualified for the women’s open singles draw and will also compete in doubles alongside Duclos.
Lobotenko earned her spot after finishing as the women’s singles runner-up at the Central Regional Championships. In the championship match, Cowley’s Neiro Tanaka edged Lobotenko 7-6 (3), 7-6 (1), winning both sets in tiebreaks. Lobotenko opened the tournament with a bye into the quarterfinals, where she defeated Cowley’s Yu Hozumi 6-1, 6-1. She then advanced to the final with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over teammate Duclos.
The doubles tandem of Lobotenko and Duclos, a freshman, also secured an ITA Cup berth. The pair earned a third-place finish in Pratt, defeating Cowley’s Allison Munhall and Nobuhle Zungu 8-1 in the third-place match. The result helped Duclos earn an at-large selection to the national event.
Lobotenko will face Ruri Takeuchi of Copiah-Lincoln Community College in the round of 16 on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. Central.
In doubles, Lobotenko and Duclos will take on a team from Hillsborough Community College on Thursday at 2 p.m. Central.
Fans can watch the event by clicking HERE, while results will be available HERE.
Comments