WACO, Texas – BYU women's tennis is gearing up for the Big 12 Fall Championships, set to kick off on Thursday in the Lone Star State. The tournament, hosted by Baylor, will feature individual matches at the Hurd Tennis Center.
This marks the Cougars' inaugural participation in the Big 12 Fall Championships as conference members, and they will look to use the tournament as a springboard towards the official season that begins in January.
The Cougars
Hailing from Huntsville, Utah, junior Jacque Dunyon is back after a notable performance at the ITA National Fall Championships, where she partnered with Bobo Huang. Their efforts resulted in a 1-2 record in doubles, including a victory over Vanderbilt. This fall, Dunyon boasts an impressive 8-5 record in doubles and a 2-5 record in singles.
Junior captain Bobo Huang, representing Guangzhou, China, participated in the ITA National Fall Championships alongside Dunyon. With back-to-back appearances at the championships, Huang has accumulated an 8-6 record in doubles and a 4-5 record in singles this fall.
Kovick, a junior from Las Vegas, Nevada, has demonstrated her success with a 3-2 record in doubles and a 4-5 record in singles during the fall campaign. Kovick is a recent transfer from West Virginia.
Sophomore Tina Li, hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, has had a remarkable fall season, boasting a 6-3 record in doubles and a 7-3 record in singles.
Junior Avery Pope, representing Provo, Utah, holds a 5-2 record in doubles and a 1-5 record in singles this fall.
Senior Kaavya Sawhney, originally from Chandigarh, India, is undefeated in doubles with a 3-0 record and holds a 1-1 record in singles during the fall season. Sawhney is a recent transfer from UNC Charlotte.
Junior Maddy Smith, hailing from Henderson, Nevada, has found success this fall with a 3-0 record in singles and a 1-2 record in doubles at the Bedford Cup in September. Smith was also named a 2023 Bedford Cup Bravo draw finalist and currently holds a 4-4 record in doubles and an 8-3 record in singles.
Sophomore Bitsy Tullis, from Centerville, Utah, boasts an impressive 5-2 record in doubles and a 2-3 record in singles. Notably, Tullis recently completed a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Lima, Peru.
Senior Kara Wheatley, hailing from Hong Kong, China, is enjoying a successful fall season with a 6-1 record in doubles and a 5-2 record in singles in her senior year.
Coaching Staff
Head coach Holly Hasler, now in her sixth season at BYU, brings with her a 58-46 all-time record with the Cougars.
Assistant coach Gabby Curtis, in her third season with the Cougars, boasts a collegiate career at USC with 72 career singles wins and 73 career doubles victories during her time with the Trojans from 2015-2017.