Mississippi State Women’s Tennis Set to Open SEC Play Against Alabama

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State women’s tennis, ranked No. 26 nationally, is set to begin Southeastern Conference play on Feb. 22 with a match against No. 29 Alabama in Starkville. The match is scheduled for noon, followed by a doubleheader against Alabama A&M at 3 p.m., according to athletic communications.

The Bulldogs are 8-0 this season, their best start since 2020, under head coach Chris Hooshyar. They have compiled a 27-3 record in non-conference matches during Hooshyar’s tenure and are 23-5 in doubleheader settings. MSU recently earned wins against Furman and Georgia Tech, including a 6-1 victory over Furman on Feb. 12 and a 4-2 win at Georgia Tech on Feb. 14.

Mississippi State earned its highest ITA ranking since 2020, sitting at No. 26 entering SEC play. Their doubles team of Gianna Oboniye and Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz is ranked No. 13 nationally. The duo scored a 6-0 win over Georgia Southern on Feb. 6.

Alabama, also undefeated at 8-0, will visit Samford on Feb. 21 before traveling to Starkville. The Crimson Tide recently defeated Minnesota 4-0 in Minneapolis. Alabama’s Kristina Paskauskas is ranked No. 53 in the ITA singles rankings. Mississippi State holds a 19-39 series record against Alabama, with the Bulldogs last defeating the Crimson Tide 4-2 in Starkville in 2022. MSU has swept Alabama in all four meetings, including this season’s matchups.

Alabama has not lost yet this season and is considered a strong contender in the SEC. The Bulldogs look to continue their momentum and improve upon their series record in the upcoming match.

For more information on the Mississippi State women’s tennis team, visit HailState.com or follow @HailStateWT on X, Instagram, and Facebook.

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