TEMPE, Ariz. (June 11, 2024) – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) recently unveiled its NCAA Division I regional rankings for women's tennis. ETSU, which is coming off one of its best seasons in program history, were ranked fifth in the final Ohio Valley Regional rankings, while Sofia Markova (No. 17), Fernanda Carvajal (No. 18) and Daniela Rivera (No. 20) all were ranked among the top 20 singles players and the doubles tandem of Carvajal and Rivera checked in at No. 10 in the doubles rankings.
 
ETSU went 17-8 overall and 7-0 in SoCon play in 2024. The Bucs won both the SoCon Regular Season and Tournament Championships on the season. ETSU, which has been regionally ranked at the end of each of the past four seasons, were ranked multiple weeks in the ITA National Rankings reaching as high as No. 60. The Bucs won nine SoCon Player of the Week awards and picked up ranked victories over No. 63 USF and No. 57 VCU. Only Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Purdue and Kentucky sit ahead of the Bucs in the final Ohio Valley Regional rankings.
 
In her lone season at ETSU, Markova made an immediate impact for the Bucs. Playing out of the No. 1 position in singles all season long, Markova compiled a record of 14-8, including a perfect 7-0 mark in SoCon action. Markova, teamed with freshman Alessandra Caceres, went 13-10 and did not drop a SoCon match. In her Buccaneer debut at Kentucky on January 14, Markova recorded her first win as a Buc with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Elizabeth Stevens. Won key singles bouts in victories over #57 VCU and against Furman that clinched the SoCon Regular Season Title for the Bucs. Was named the SoCon's Player of the Month for January. Markova also took home SoCon Player of the Week honors on March 26, April 2 and April 16. Following the regular season, Markova was named the SoCon Player of the Year. It marked the second straight season that a Buc had won SoCon Player of the Year honors (Laylo Bakhodirova - 2023). 
 
Carvajal had an impressive final season with the Bucs. As a singles player, Carvajal went 16-5 and a 7-0 mark in SoCon play. She won key singles matches against Kentucky, Clemson, No. 57 VCU and No. 46 Charlotte. Closed the season with an undefeated month of April (5-0 singles, 6-0 doubles). She helped ETSU win both SoCon Regular Season and Tournament Championships. Carvajal was named All-SoCon First Team in singles and doubles. She was also named the SoCon Tournament's Most Outstanding Player and earned the Pinnacle Award, which is given to the student-athletes with the highest GPA on the championship-winning team.
 
Rivera led the Bucs with 17 singles victories in 2024. She garnered All-SoCon Second Team honors and was named the SoCon's Player of the Week on February 20. Rivera also was the conference's women's tennis player of the month in February. The native of Venezuela, Rivera picked up big victories against Clemson, No. 63 USF, No. 57 VCU and No. 46 Charlotte in ETSU's stellar 2024 campaign.
 
The duo of Carvajal and Rivera was ETSU's top team in 2024. Overall, the tandem went 17-3 on the season, including a 7-0 mark in SoCon action. They also closed the season on a seven-match winning streak. Additionally, they also earned All-SoCon First Team honors as a duo.
 
For more information on Buccaneer women's tennis, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women's tennis tab.