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WTEN: The Georgia Bulldogs are National Champs
The No. 1 Georgia women’s tennis team (29-3, 13-2 SEC) secured its third NCAA National Championship after producing a dominant 4-0 sweep over No. 2 Texas A&M (30-4, 14-1 SEC) in the NCAA title match at the Hurd Tennis Center on Sunday.
Fast Facts
- Georgia earns its third NCAA national championship and first since 2000, bringing in the program’s eighth overall national title (five USTA/ITA national titles).
- Head coach Drake Bernstein becomes the fastest head coach in program history to win an NCAA, ITA, SEC Tournament and SEC regular season title in program history (62 matches coached through two seasons).
- Senior Dasha Vidmanova became the third women’s tennis player to win an NCAA team, singles and doubles national championship during her collegiate career.
- Georgia finishes the season undefeated in tournament-style competition this spring, producing a 13-0 record between winning the 2025 ITA National Team Indoor Championships (four wins), the 2025 SEC Tournament (three wins) and the NCAA Tournament (six wins).
- The Bulldogs earned their 19th sweep of the season and fifth of the NCAA Tournament, outscoring opponents 24-1 through six rounds while also winning seven of nine postseason matches via sweep.
- Georgia improves to 23-6 all-time against Texas A&M, avenging an NCAA Championship loss in the 2024 title match. The Bulldogs are now 3-1 this season against the Aggies, earning all three wins in a tournament final (ITA National Team Indoors, SEC Tournament and NCAA Championships).
- The Bulldogs opened the match by winning the doubles point for the 28th time this season.
- On court two, the tandem of #68 Guillermina Grant and Anastasiia Lopata struck first as they cruised past Daria Smetannikov and Lexington Reed, 6-2. With courts one and three racing for the clinch, the Aysegul Mert and Hayden Mulberry duo came through late to hold off Nicole Khirin and Lucciana Perez for a 7-5 victory to put the Bulldogs on the board first.
- In singles, the battle of the top 2 ITA-ranked singles players came to a result as #2 Dasha Vidmanova was stellar on the day against #1 Mary Stoiana, earning a 6-4, 6-4 victory in straight sets to double Georgia’s lead at 2-0.
- Despite dropping a first set, #17 Lopata bounced back in tremendous fashion to flip the match and secure a 0-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over #13 Nicole Khirin to put the Bulldogs one point away from a title.
- With battle across all four remaining courts in play, Sofia Rojas delivered the finishing blow to Texas A&M’s comeback bid as she also came back from a set down to defeat Reed, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, on court six for the sweep and the title-clinching victory.
Key Quotes:
Head coach Drake Bernstein
Opening Statement:
“This team, this group of seniors that have put so much time into the last four years here at Georgia have steadily gotten better. They went from a Round of 16 loss to a semifinal loss to a final loss and then the last match they ever play in red and black is the national championship. They get to call themselves national champions at the University of Georgia for the rest of their life. Something that I’m really proud of them for doing. This one here [Dasha Vidmanova] has a doubles title, a singles title and now a team title. It’s complete and what she was up against the whole year, the whole narrative of John Parsons saying, ‘well the only thing left to do is a team national championship’ and to her credit and really the rest of the entire team’s credit, it was to stay focused on today. It’s fantastic to see the culmination of that work and the way it did tonight. Lopata over there down a set 6-0 tonight. I don’t think anybody in red and black was all that concerned about it. It just says a lot about the character of this team. Playing for something bigger than themselves, the community, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, home of college tennis.”
On winning the doubles point in the final:
“Yeah, I think the bigger the match, probably the more important the doubles point. So obviously the biggest match of the year, walking into singles with that in your pocket and you know, the way that we went about the doubles point and really the way that we went about the whole week, we were really locked in on what we needed to do. It didn’t really feel like it was this mountain of a stage, it felt kind of like we were back in Athens for practice. And that’s a comforting feeling when you’ve got six players out there that all are able to hear clearly, do what they have to do to a high degree. But again, getting that in the pocket for sure goes a long way in the biggest matches.”
On what the rivalry against Texas A&M has done for both programs:
“I think for Georgia we would say it’s a fitting end. I think, you know, that’s a team that has made us better eight times in two years. I don’t know if that’s ever happened in college tennis, [played] eight times in two years. And really, especially this year, you have the same matchups every spot. Just do it again, just go play it again, just go play it again. So, there’s not really a whole lot of secrets out there. We’re both able to kind of play each other’s weaknesses and try to use our strengths. And it’s just one of those deals, again, like you said, where we push each other. We know where A&M is going to set the bar, amongst other schools. This year was probably the deepest year I’ve seen in college tennis and evidenced by a lot of the results you see. Teams 15-20 pulling top five wins pretty much every week. And so, I think college tennis is at a really high level right now and I think we all make each other better, particularly in the SEC.”
On Dasha Vidmanova’s progression over the last two seasons under his wing:
“Yeah, I mean, it all started well before the titles. It was, you know, freshman year to sophomore year was a huge jump.Sophomore year to junior year was a huge jump. Really, junior to senior was a jump, but more in terms of the mentality that she carried every day. It was, you know, the level has been there, we feel like for some time. And of course, there’s things that she’s doing better. I think that once she saw that pro tennis is a very real possibility if she does things to the best that she can. She’s kind of gotten a taste of that in every day. You know, this girl works, that one over there [Lopata] works. They make each other better. But extremely proud of Dasha and the career that she’s had here.”
Dasha Vidmanova | Sr.
On the win against No. 1 Mary Stoiana on court one:
“Yeah, we’ve played a lot. I saw the record, I think it’s like we played eight matches or something and you know anytime we play I know it’s going to be tough. It can go either way and today, it was my last match and I really wanted that one so I just tried my best as I usually do and it went my way. And to do it in the last match ever in the final with this team, it’s really special.”
On her interaction with Stoiana after the victory:
“Yeah, I mean it was just like ‘good match, congrats, good career.’ I mean it was nothing really special, but I mean we’ve played each other so much and pushed each other a lot I think in every match we played. So, it was kind of like the next moment, I guess it was the last match ever in college for us.”
On playing against a pro-Texas A&M crowd:
“I think today I was very, very focused on myself. So, I honestly wasn’t paying attention at all. I think we played in A&M. Even last year in Stillwater, it was mostly A&M people. I think we’re used to it. And I think that our teammates, what they did on the side and the bench was incredible. And honestly, that was all I heard every time. So, I wouldn’t say that the crowd. I mean, we did expect mostly an A&M crowd because it’s closer to them, but I don’t think it really did much for me.”
On becoming the third women’s tennis player to win an NCAA team, singles and doubles title:
“I was surprised. I thought I was the first one. I’m just kidding. It’s obviously very special to do that. To do that for Georgia. And I’m just very happy that we won.”
Anastasiia Lopata | Jr.
On coming back from a 6-0 first set loss to win:
“I had already lost one time a first set for 6-0 in the SEC tournament, so I thought ‘okay, maybe I’ll be okay too.’ The team needs me and everyone was still playing. I knew that I just needed to lock in and keep fighting and just win.”
Results
Doubles:
1. #1 Dasha Vidmanova/Mell Reasco (UGA) vs Mary Stoiana/Mia Kupres (TAMU), 6-5 unfinished
2. #68 Guillermina Grant/Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. Daria Smetannikov/Lexington Reed (TAMU), 6-2
3. Aysegul Mert/Hayden Mulberry (UGA) def. Nicole Khirin/Lucciana Perez (TAMU), 7-5
Singles:
1. #2 Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) def. #1 Mary Stoiana (TAMU), 6-4, 6-4
2. #17 Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. #13 Nicole Khirin (TAMU), 0-6, 6-4, 6-2
3. Mell Reasco (UGA) vs. #67 Mia Kupres (TAMU), 3-6, 6-1, 4-5 unfinished
4. #42 Aysegul Mert (UGA) vs. #51 Lucciana Perez (TAMU), 7-6(9), 5-5 unfinished
5. #74 Guillermina Grant (UGA) vs #109 Daria Smetannikov (TAMU), 6-1, 6(5)-7, 2-1 unfinished
6. Sofia Rojas (UGA) def. Lexington Reed (TAMU), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (1,2,6)
SB: Georgia Defeats Duke, Advances to Super Regional
DURHAM, N.C. – The Georgia softball team defeated 14th-seeded Duke to punch its ticket to the program’s 14th Super Regional appearance, its third straight and fourth in the last five seasons.
The Blue Devils beat Georgia 8-1 in Game 6 of the regional to force a winner-take-all Game 7. Georgia tied the game to force extra innings down 2-1 in the top of the seventh. A three-run eighth was enough to lift the Bulldogs past the Ble Devils, 5-2.
GAME ONE FAST FACTS
- Lilli Backes lost in the circle, pitching five and two-thirds innings in her start. She gave up six earned runs on six hits. She struck out four and walked four.
- Five Bulldogs combined for Georgia’s five hits. Marisa Miller’s RBI single in the second inning provided Georgia’s lone run.
SOFTBALL | at (14) Duke | L, 8-1
Winning pitcher: Cassidy Curd (15-7)
Losing Pitcher: Lilli Backes (14-10)
GAME TWO FAST FACTS
- Randi Roelling pitched the complete game. She gave up two runs in the first, then worked seven scoreless. She struck out four and walked one, giving up five hits in the game.
- Sarah Gordon scattered three hits, and Dallis Goodnight and Emily Digby each had two. The offense combined for 11 hits altogether.
- Down 2-1 with runners on second and third, Lyndi Rae Davis provided a single back up the middle to tie the game.
- Jaydyn Goodwin provided a leadoff home run in the top of the eighth to go ahead 3-2. It was her 12th home run of the season.
- Emma Castorri’s bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and Mua Williams’ sacrifice fly added insurance in the eighth, 5-2.
SOFTBALL | at (14) Duke | W, 5-2
Winning pitcher: Randi Roelling (11-8)
Losing Pitcher: Cassidy Curd (15-8)
UP NEXT
Georgia will travel to No. 3 Florida for the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament. The Super Regional schedule will be announced after all Regionals are complete.
BSB: Robbie Burnett Named Semifinalist For Golden Spikes Award
University of Georgia senior Robbie Burnett has been named a semifinalist for the annual Golden Spikes Award, presented by Chinook Seedery, USA Baseball announced Sunday.
Burnett ranks as one of the nation’s best players this season, helping fourth-ranked Georgia to a 42-14 mark. The Franklinton, N.C. native has a team-high 20 home runs, 66 RBI, 17 stolen bases and a .732 slugging percentage to go with a .318 batting average in 53 games. In SEC action, he batted .300 with eight home runs and 30 RBI. Burnett has made 52 starts this season, including at all three outfield spots, plus second base and designated hitter.
Burnett was one of 10 student-athletes who played their way onto the semifinalist list after not appearing on a watch list earlier this year. There are 25 semifinalists this season. This marks the second straight year the Bulldogs have had a semifinalist for this prestigious award for the nation’s top amateur baseball player. In 2024, Charlie Condon became Georgia’s first winner of the Golden Spikes Award after a record-setting season.
Fan voting will again participate in the Golden Spikes Award in 2025. Baseball fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com, beginning today with the naming of the semifinalists.
The 2025 Golden Spikes Award timeline is as follows:
• May 18: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists announced, and fan voting begins
• May 28: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists fan voting ends
• June 4: Golden Spikes Award finalists announced, and fan voting begins
• June 20: Golden Spikes Award finalists fan voting ends
• June 21: Golden Spikes Award winner announced at 6:30 pm ET on ESPN prior to the first pitch of game one of the College World Series finals.
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