2024 Horizon League Tournament Champs Chicago State Women’s Tennis
Cougars Advance to the NCAA Tournament for First Time in School History!!!
The Chicago State women’s tennis team made history Sunday afternoon with a 4-2 victory over Cleveland State in the championship match of the Horizon League Women’s Tennis Tournament. With the win, Chicago State advances to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. Seedings and pairings will be released on a live video stream on NCAA.com Monday at 5:30 p.m. CT.
The Cougars and Vikings shared the Horizon League regular season title with Youngstown State. Cleveland State claimed the No. 1 seed due to tiebreakers between the three teams. Chicago State has now won seven matches in a row and 13 of their last 14 during this championship run and none were more important than Sunday’s victory.
Cleveland State won the doubles point to jump out to an early 1-0 lead with 6-4 victories at both No. 1 and No. 3, leaving the match at No. 2 unfinished with the Cougars leading in that match, 6-5.
“I think the nerves and the outdoor conditions really made us play tight in doubles and it really wasn’t the energy we wanted to start off, but when we got to singles, we did what we had done all season,” head coach Jack Barton said. “We fight and battle to the end.”
In singles, the Cougars started strong with first set wins in five of the six matches, needing victories in four of the six to earn the victory. The teams split straight set wins at No. 1 and No. 2, with Manuella Eloundou earning a 7-5, 6-3 win while the Vikings won at No. 2, 6-2, 6-3.
A pair of Cougars freshmen won at No. 5 and 6 for Chicago State, with Nia Cooper winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 and Helin Alvarez picking up a 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 victory and Chicago State surged ahead 3-2, needing a win in one of the two remaining matches to earn the victory.
“The freshmen came through and played with the composure and balance of an upperclassman in the most important match of the year,” Barton said. “Manuella (Eloundou) played very well and beat the player of the year from Cleveland State (Oihane Vicario), which was the motivation we needed.”
Locked in a pair of three-set matches, Amina Taibi went to tiebreak at No. 4 for the three-set win and the Cougars earned the team victory and first-ever conference tournament title.
“Amina (Taibi), who we will call our ‘All First Team Chicago State Player,’ not only finished the season undefeated in conference matches, but lost a 5-2 third-set advantage and kept her composure,” Barton said. “She clinched the championship for us by winning in a tiebreaker.
“All of the work we did this season came down to this moment and the ladies seized the opportunity. I could not be more proud of them for how they represented themselves, their families and this university. Also, the support of President Scott, Dr. Carroll and the entire athletic staff and administrators was a huge reason why we were able to do what we did. This is a first for our program and these ladies earned their spot in writing a part of Chicago State history. This accomplishment is legendary and it’s a great day to be a Cougar.”