Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis at Colorado State Invite on September 12, 2025
Women's Tennis
at Colorado State Invite
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Thursday, April 10
Salt Lake City, Utah
3:00 PM
University of Utah
vs
Houston
Photo by: Jackson Bilawa/Utah Athletics
Utes Return to Eccles Tennis Center for Final Big 12 Matchups
4/8/2025 11:44 AM | Women's Tennis
SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah women's tennis team is set to close out the regular season at home, hosting its final two Big 12 matches against Houston on Thursday, April 10, and UCF on Saturday, April 12.
MATCH INFORMATION
Utah (7-13) vs. Houston (4-13)
DATE | TIME: Thursday, April 10 | 3 p.m. MT
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, UT | George S. Eccles Tennis Center
LIVE STATS: Click Here
TWITTER UPDATES: @UteWomensTennis
MATCH INFORMATION
Utah (7-13) vs. No. 20 UCF (18-2)
DATE | TIME: Saturday, April 12 | 11 a.m. MT
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, UT | George S. Eccles Tennis Center
LIVE STATS: Click Here
TWITTER UPDATES: @UteWomensTennis
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
Houston enters the match with a 4-13 overall record, going 1-10 in conference play. The Utes and Cougars have met four times previously, splitting the all-time series 2-2. Utah won the most recent matchup in dominant fashion, earning a 7-0 sweep in March of 2017.
SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS
No. 20 UCF enters the weekend with an impressive 18-2 overall record and a 10-1 mark in Big 12 play. The Utes and Knights have met just once before, with Utah falling in a tightly contested 4-3 matchup in January 2020.
THE UTES
The Utah women's tennis program competes this season with a roster featuring a core group of returning players blended with new talent. Returning to the team are sophomores Sara Akid and Emma Kamper, junior Kaila Barksdale, and senior Samantha Horwood, all of whom contributed significantly during the 2024 season. Joining the squad this season are two transfers in Dylan Lolofie, a Salt Lake City native from Weber State, and Emma Valletta from Ravena, Italy, previously at VCU. This spring, the team additionally welcomed freshman Hayley Roberts from Bradenton, Florida.
LAST TIME OUT
Utah dropped a 4-1 decision on the road to No. 62 Kansas State on Saturday, falling to 7-13 overall and 2-9 in Big 12 play.
The Utes battled in doubles, with Sara Akid and Emma Valletta earning a 6-3 win on court two, but the Wildcats took the point with close wins on courts one and three. In singles, Emma Kamper delivered a commanding 6-2, 6-0 victory at the No. 1 spot to even the match, but Kansas State responded with wins on courts three, two, and four to clinch the match.
HEAD COACH RUTH ANN ALLEN
The Utah women's tennis team welcomed Ruth Ann Allen as head coach this season. A Utah native and a Utah All-American and Hall of Famer, Allen returns to lead the program after a successful tenure as head coach at Weber State. She guided the Wildcats to a Big Sky Championship in 2023 and was twice named Big Sky Coach of the Year (2022, 2023).
Before Weber State, Allen spent 20 seasons as an assistant coach at Utah, where she helped the Utes secure multiple NCAA Tournament bids, two Mountain West Conference titles, and numerous top-five regional rankings. Allen, an All-American during her playing career at Utah, was inducted into the Utah Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 2023.
NEXT UP
The Utes will next head to Waco, Texas, for the Big 12 Conference Tournament April 16-20.
FOLLOW THE UTES
Fans can follow us on social media (Twitter: @UteWomensTennis | Instagram: @UtahWomensTennis | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwomenstennis).
MATCH INFORMATION
Utah (7-13) vs. Houston (4-13)
DATE | TIME: Thursday, April 10 | 3 p.m. MT
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, UT | George S. Eccles Tennis Center
LIVE STATS: Click Here
TWITTER UPDATES: @UteWomensTennis
MATCH INFORMATION
Utah (7-13) vs. No. 20 UCF (18-2)
DATE | TIME: Saturday, April 12 | 11 a.m. MT
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, UT | George S. Eccles Tennis Center
LIVE STATS: Click Here
TWITTER UPDATES: @UteWomensTennis
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
Houston enters the match with a 4-13 overall record, going 1-10 in conference play. The Utes and Cougars have met four times previously, splitting the all-time series 2-2. Utah won the most recent matchup in dominant fashion, earning a 7-0 sweep in March of 2017.
SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS
No. 20 UCF enters the weekend with an impressive 18-2 overall record and a 10-1 mark in Big 12 play. The Utes and Knights have met just once before, with Utah falling in a tightly contested 4-3 matchup in January 2020.
THE UTES
The Utah women's tennis program competes this season with a roster featuring a core group of returning players blended with new talent. Returning to the team are sophomores Sara Akid and Emma Kamper, junior Kaila Barksdale, and senior Samantha Horwood, all of whom contributed significantly during the 2024 season. Joining the squad this season are two transfers in Dylan Lolofie, a Salt Lake City native from Weber State, and Emma Valletta from Ravena, Italy, previously at VCU. This spring, the team additionally welcomed freshman Hayley Roberts from Bradenton, Florida.
LAST TIME OUT
Utah dropped a 4-1 decision on the road to No. 62 Kansas State on Saturday, falling to 7-13 overall and 2-9 in Big 12 play.
The Utes battled in doubles, with Sara Akid and Emma Valletta earning a 6-3 win on court two, but the Wildcats took the point with close wins on courts one and three. In singles, Emma Kamper delivered a commanding 6-2, 6-0 victory at the No. 1 spot to even the match, but Kansas State responded with wins on courts three, two, and four to clinch the match.
HEAD COACH RUTH ANN ALLEN
The Utah women's tennis team welcomed Ruth Ann Allen as head coach this season. A Utah native and a Utah All-American and Hall of Famer, Allen returns to lead the program after a successful tenure as head coach at Weber State. She guided the Wildcats to a Big Sky Championship in 2023 and was twice named Big Sky Coach of the Year (2022, 2023).
Before Weber State, Allen spent 20 seasons as an assistant coach at Utah, where she helped the Utes secure multiple NCAA Tournament bids, two Mountain West Conference titles, and numerous top-five regional rankings. Allen, an All-American during her playing career at Utah, was inducted into the Utah Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 2023.
NEXT UP
The Utes will next head to Waco, Texas, for the Big 12 Conference Tournament April 16-20.
FOLLOW THE UTES
Fans can follow us on social media (Twitter: @UteWomensTennis | Instagram: @UtahWomensTennis | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwomenstennis).
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
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/ Women's Tennis
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