LYNCHBURG, Va. — FIU's top-seeded women's tennis program completed its historical quest for three-consecutive Conference USA (CUSA) Championships on Saturday, downing third-seeded Louisiana Tech 4-1 in the Championship Final.
The Panthers secured their 'three-peat' in dramatic fashion, coming back to win four singles matches after dropping the doubles' point to begin the match. FIU wins its fourth overall CUSA title, all under head coach Katarina Petrovic, adding the 2025 crown to previous Championships from 2018, 2023 and 2024.
Additionally, the Panthers have now won nine-straight matches in the CUSA Tournament, extending back to the 2022 season. The Panthers are now just one of four programs in CUSA history to win three or more consecutive titles, joining Rice (2013-17), Tulsa (2007-09) and Tulane (2003-05). FIU punches its ticket to the NCAA Championships for the fifth-straight season.
In the match, FIU's Valery Gynina produced another dominant display in singles, winning 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3 to even the match score at 1-all. Oyinlomo Quadre cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles a short time later, putting the Panthers up 2-1.
Gallery: (4-19-2025) Tennis CUSA Final vs. La Tech | 4.19.25
Ekaterina Khairutdinova and Aleksandra Simeva were neck-and-neck in the race to clinch after both won their opening sets. Simeva finished just before Khairutdinova at No. 6 singles with a 6-3, 6-2 win. Less than one minute later, Khairutdinova put the bow on FIU's third-consecutive title with a 7-5, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles.
Gynina and Khairutdinova were the Panthers' lone winning duo in doubles as they dispatched their opponents, 6-1, at No. 2. Louisiana Tech won spots one and three to secure the doubles point, of which was the lone point that was tallied against FIU over all three matches this weekend.
UP NEXT
FIU awaits its opponent in the 2025 NCAA Championships, of which will be announced during the selection show on Monday, April 28 on NCAA.com.
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