The Liberty Flames women’s tennis team won its first-ever conference title on April 18, defeating Delaware 4-0 in the final of the 2026 Conference USA Women’s Tennis Championship.
This win marks a milestone for Liberty, as it is the program’s first conference championship in its 26-year history. The Lady Flames, seeded sixth, won four matches in four days to secure the title and became the first Conference USA women’s tennis team to win the championship after playing four matches.
Liberty secured early momentum by winning doubles matches on courts one and two. Yoanna Radulova and Maria Turchetto defeated Delaware’s Maryia Hrynashka and Paulina Jurkowska 6-1 at No. 1 doubles, while Daniella O’Neill and Milana Tsulygina posted a 6-2 win at No. 2 doubles. In singles play, Tsulygina claimed a straight-set victory at No. 4 singles (6-3, 6-1), Anika Lemus won at No. 6 singles (6-2, 6-4), and Turchetto clinched the match for Liberty with a win at No. 2 singles (6-3, 6-3).
Several other singles matches were left unfinished after Liberty secured enough points for victory: O’Neill was trailing Hrynashka at No.1 singles; Radulova was tied with Gorman in their second set; Joseph was behind Vadlamudi when play concluded.
The Lady Flames finished their season so far with a record of sixteen wins and nine losses overall, improving their collective singles mark to .640 (82 wins out of 128) and their doubles record to .625 (40 out of sixty-four). Head Coach Dash Connell led Liberty to this achievement in his second season guiding the team.
Looking ahead, Liberty now awaits results from the NCAA Women’s Tennis Selection Show scheduled for April 27.
