Nov 03, 2026 | Tennis
The three young athletes will mark K-State's third consecutive year in the tournament
MANHATTAN, Kan.- The K-State women's tennis team will be represented by three Wildcats at the ITA Central Sectional Championships set for Thursday-Sunday (November 5-8) in Fort Worth, Texas, at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center hosted by TCU.
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Freshman Marta Leon qualified for singles competition during the ITA Central Regionals on October 15-19 while doubles duo freshman Sabrina Balderrama and sophomore Varya Bernovich were selected to compete.
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The ITA Sectionals is comprised of four tournaments, each containing 32 singles competitors and 16 doubles teams. At the conclusion of the tournament, six individuals and three doubles teams from the Central Section will advance to the NCAA Championship on November 17-22.
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"It's awesome to have our Wildcats qualify three years in a row," head coach Jordan Smith said. "Since becoming a sport with two seasons our falls have become even more competitive with everyone chasing nationals in November. I think it says a lot about our consistency in developing our players to be in this position multiple years in a row."
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Leon started in the qualifying draw at Regionals but advanced to the main draw where she swept three opponents in straight sets collecting a 5-0 record prior to the quarterfinal round. The native of Balearic Island, Spain, then faced #117 Xin Tong Wang from Wichita State where her run in the tournament came to an end.
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Balderrama and Bernovich have competed as a duo in two tournaments, the Hoosier Invitational and Regionals for a combined 6-1 record. At Regionals the pair advanced to the quarterfinal round after defeating two teams in 8-game pro sets but fell short to in-state rivals Nahyeong Cho and Meg McCarthy from KU. On October 2-4 in Indiana, the pair went 3-0 to take first place in their bracket.
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"We're a young team and seeing Varya, Sabrina and Marta shine in their first fall seasons with the team has been great," Smith added. "They know that there is still more work to be done. Excited to see them continue on this week."
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In the last two years, Maralgoo Chogsomjav has competed in the doubles bracket at Sectionals, as well as in singles competition in 2025. The Wildcats have yet to advance beyond the first round of competition.
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How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on the K-State Women's Tennis Team, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
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Freshman Marta Leon qualified for singles competition during the ITA Central Regionals on October 15-19 while doubles duo freshman Sabrina Balderrama and sophomore Varya Bernovich were selected to compete.
Â
The ITA Sectionals is comprised of four tournaments, each containing 32 singles competitors and 16 doubles teams. At the conclusion of the tournament, six individuals and three doubles teams from the Central Section will advance to the NCAA Championship on November 17-22.
Â
"It's awesome to have our Wildcats qualify three years in a row," head coach Jordan Smith said. "Since becoming a sport with two seasons our falls have become even more competitive with everyone chasing nationals in November. I think it says a lot about our consistency in developing our players to be in this position multiple years in a row."
Â
Leon started in the qualifying draw at Regionals but advanced to the main draw where she swept three opponents in straight sets collecting a 5-0 record prior to the quarterfinal round. The native of Balearic Island, Spain, then faced #117 Xin Tong Wang from Wichita State where her run in the tournament came to an end.
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Balderrama and Bernovich have competed as a duo in two tournaments, the Hoosier Invitational and Regionals for a combined 6-1 record. At Regionals the pair advanced to the quarterfinal round after defeating two teams in 8-game pro sets but fell short to in-state rivals Nahyeong Cho and Meg McCarthy from KU. On October 2-4 in Indiana, the pair went 3-0 to take first place in their bracket.
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"We're a young team and seeing Varya, Sabrina and Marta shine in their first fall seasons with the team has been great," Smith added. "They know that there is still more work to be done. Excited to see them continue on this week."
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In the last two years, Maralgoo Chogsomjav has competed in the doubles bracket at Sectionals, as well as in singles competition in 2025. The Wildcats have yet to advance beyond the first round of competition.
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-- k-statesports.com --
 How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on the K-State Women's Tennis Team, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
Thursday, August 27
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