Women's Tennis | 1/29/2026 8:15:00 PM

Granville, Ohio- The No. 30 Big Red women's tennis team looks to have a strong season, returning lots of good contributors for singles and doubles. The Big Red sit second behind Kenyon in the NCAC preseason poll.

2024-2025 Recap

In the fall outdoor season, Denison hosted the Big Red Invitational from September 6-7, featuring Case Western, Ohio Northern, and Centre. They faced tough competition opening the weekend, falling to 20th-ranked Case Western, but bounced back against Ohio Northern and Centre winning three out of four double matches against the Polar Bears and dropping just two out of five double matches against the Colonels. Last outdoor season, the Big Red compiled a record of 16-7, with notable wins over 24th-ranked Carleton 4-3 and a tournament win over DePauw 4-1, eventually falling to Kenyon in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) championship. First-year standout Rafaella Ramos led the team in wins in both doubles and singles, going 4-3 in singles and 4-2 in doubles. Caitlin Van Winkle will also be a force as last year's NCAC Newcomer of the Year, looking to have a strong sophomore season. Peyton Oda was named First-Team All-NCAC singles, while here and Maia Nowicki were First Team doubles. Dasha Chistyakova and Van Winkle were also doubles All-NCAC, being named Third Team.

Returning All-Conference

• Peyton Oda- First Team All-NCAC Singles

• Caitlin Van Winkle- First Team All-NCAC Singles, Newcomer of the Year 2024-25 season

• Maia Nowicki/Peyton Oda- First Team All-NCAC Doubles

• Dasha Chistyakova/Caitlin Van Winkle- Third Team All-NCAC Doubles

Fall Ball: The Big Red started out their 2025-26 campaign by competing in the Kenyon Invite and hosting the Big Red Invitational, where the team got valuable experience before heading into the indoor season. At the ITA Central Regional Championships, Peyton Oda advanced to the Round of 32 in singles, while her and her doubles partner Rafaella Ramos advanced to the Round of 16.

On Top: Denison has won at least five conference games each of the last three seasons, only accumulating three conference losses in total. They have gone 50-22 overall the past three seasons, with three visits to the NCAC Championship game.

Conference Recognition: Peyton Oda's First Team singles honor marked the 10th-straight season the Big Red have had a First Team recipient in the singles category.

An outlook on this season

Denison will open its indoor season by hosting Carnegie Mellon on February 14, before traveling to Cleveland the following day for a doubleheader against Case Western Reserve and John Carroll. Throughout the season, they will spend significant time on the road, competing in major tournaments such as Spring Break Tennis and the Midwest Invitational. As they prepare for the NCAC Tournament, the schedule features a strong balance of conference and non-conference matchups, positioning the Big Red to build momentum heading into postseason play. Notable dates include a road match at Kenyon on April 8, a home contest against Wittenberg on April 12, and Senior Day versus Ohio Northern on April 25.