The University of North Georgia (UNG) women's tennis team reached the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in the program's second championship-site appearance in a row.

Though they came up short up of matching their national semifinal appearance from 2024, the Nighthawks (21-7) wrapped up what is easily the best two-year run in program history. Between the 2024 and 2025 seasons, they totaled 46 wins, made the national championship site twice and won at least one match there each of those seasons.

In their initial match at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Florida, UNG secured a 4-0 victory against Queens College (New York) on May 21 before falling 4-0 to Peach Belt Conference (PBC) rival Flagler College 4-0 on May 22 in the national quarterfinals.

UNG's pairings of Angelina Linnikova/Carolina Reis and Ashley Moinard/Vasilissa Kupriyanova earned victories to secure the doubles point against Queens, with Linnikova, Moinard and Kupriyanova recording singles wins.

Linnikova, Moinard and Reis were returnees from last year's run to the Final Four, and they teamed up with newcomers to make another strong run.

"The experience we gained last year with this group helped a lot," head coach Kent Norsworthy said. "The conversations from those three were always positive and looking forward to this."

Reis and Linnikova paired together to make up the No. 7 doubles combo in the country. The two were named PBC tournament doubles MVPs and finished the year with an 11-2 record. 

Moinard finished her three-year career with 48 career singles wins, the fourth-most in program history. 

Linnikova was UNG's No. 1 singles player in each of the last two seasons. She combined to go 46-4 in singles matches during that time.

Ranked by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association as the No. 2 women's singles player in the country, Linnikova earned the highest individual ranking in program history this season. She finished the year with a spotless 24-0 singles record, marking the best winning percentage and the most singles victories in one year in program history. 

Those 24 victories contributed to her career grand total of 62 singles wins, the most in program history by seven wins. Linnikova competed in just three years of singles competition at a .912 winning percentage. Her 45 doubles wins are also the third-most in a career in program history. 

"They're just good people. I'm proud of where they came from and the growth to where they are now," Norsworthy said. "I know they're going to move on to bigger and better things, and that's the ultimate goal."

The UNG men's tennis team wrapped up its historic season with a 4-1 loss Azusa Pacific in its first match at the 16-team NCAA Division II championship at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Florida.

Marcos Castellanos and Franco Rebora teamed up for a doubles win before UNG lost the doubles point, and Castellanos earned the Nighthawks' lone singles victory in the match.

Making its first national championship site appearance, UNG finished with a 14-8 record. Half of those 14 wins came against ranked opponents, including triumphs against Wingate and Catawba in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament.