Anna 
The UCLA women’s tennis team enters uncharted territory as they make their first appearance in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in four years. The No. 3 seed Bruins (3-0) are facing off against No. 6 seed Oklahoma (5-0) in the tournament’s first round at the Atkins Tennis Center in Urbana, Illinois, this Friday.
The Bruins have not participated in the prestigious tournament since 2021, and no current UCLA player has competed in the Indoor Championships. However, senior Elise Wagle, currently ranked No. 53, is eager to make her debut. “Indoors is going to be exciting,” said Wagle, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week. “This is the first year that I’ve made it. Kimmi (senior Kimmi Hance) and I have made it as seniors.”
UCLA boasts a storied history in the tournament, having won the ITA Indoor Championships once before in 2012. That year, the team entered the competition with a perfect 5-0 record and ended the season 26-3. This season, the Bruins secured a spot in the championship event by sweeping Washington during ITA Kickoff Weekend on January 25 and remain undefeated, most recently defeating then-No. 18 California.
Wagle remains confident ahead of the competition. “We’re going to be as ready, as fired up as possible,” she said. “Keep the same energy and practice, and you know it’s going to be fun.”
The Bruins will also showcase a third-ranked doubles pairing in Kate Fakih and Olivia Center, both freshmen and currently ranked No. 3 nationally. The duo, who have played together since they were 11 years old, finished as NCAA individual championship runners-up in 2024 and are looking to carry that momentum forward. Despite a recent loss to California’s No. 13 Mao Mushika and Katja Wiersholm, Fakih and Center are poised for a strong showing. Additionally, UCLA features two more ranked doubles pairs: No. 9 Hance and Wagle, and No. 30 Ahmani Guichard and Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer.
The 16-team tournament is split across two host sites, Urbana and Evanston, Illinois. Along with UCLA and Oklahoma, teams like No. 1 Texas A&M and No. 2 Georgia will also compete, making the event one of the most competitive in the country. “Every team is competitive, every team is tough,” said senior Stella Sampras-Webster. “It’s really important for us to stay healthy, for us to give ourselves the best chance to win against these teams.”
UCLA has won all three of its matches this season at home, meaning Friday’s matchup will be their first away contest of the year. The Atkins Tennis Center, however, remains a completely unfamiliar site for the Bruins.
“I’m just focused on playing my game,” said No. 17-ranked Lutkemeyer. “Just continue to be aggressive, continue to focus on fitness.”
The Bruins’ first match begins at 10 a.m. on Friday. A victory would advance UCLA to face the winner of No. 7 seed LSU and No. 2 seed Michigan on Saturday at 10 a.m. The semifinals and finals are scheduled for Northwestern’s Combe Tennis Center on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
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