MIAMI — FIU's top-seeded women's tennis program will begin its quest for a three-peat this week at the 2025 Conference USA (CUSA) Championships in Lynchburg, Va. 

The Panthers (12-4) are set to defend their back-to-back titles, traveling to Liberty this week to open up play at the CUSA Tournament. FIU will have its first match on Thursday, April 17 at 1 p.m. ET. 

The Panthers await their opponent as they will take the winner of eighth-seeded New Mexico State and ninth-seeded UTEP, of which will take place at 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, April 16. All matches will be streamed on ESPN+.  

FIU is undefeated this season against CUSA opponents, having swept Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee and Liberty. FIU also defeated crosstown rival Miami twice this season and has a 36-match home win streak dating back to 2022. 

For the Panthers, Ekaterina Khairutdinova has anchored the top spot this season, holding an 11-1 record in the No. 1 singles slot. Oyinlomo Quadre has also been dominant, primarily at No. 2 singles, with an 11-3 record this spring. Both Quadre and Khairutdinova represented FIU this fall at the NCAA Individual Championships as singles' participants. 

The doubles lineups have been fluid this season, but Quadre and teammate Katerina Mandelikova are 5-0 at the No. 1 position. The Quadre/Mandelikova duo represented the Panthers at the 2024 NCAA Championships, advancing to the Sweet 16 round. This tandem entered the 2025 season ranked sixth in the nation by the ITA. 

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