CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Ohio Valley Conference Champion Southeast Missouri (17-2) will take on #15 Tennessee (19-5) in the first round of the NCAA Women's Tennis Championship Friday. Start time is set for 3 p.m., CT at Barksdale Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.

SEMO is in the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight season and second time in program history. The Redhawks won both the OVC regular-season and tournament crowns for the first time in 2023.

The Redhawks carry a program record 16-match winning streak into this year's 64-team tournament. SEMO has not lost in three months during its best season in the school's women's tennis history. The Redhawks' 17 wins are tied for the most in a season ever.

SEMO is led by OVC Player of the Year Daniela Hlacikova who is 12-2 at the No. 1 singles spot this spring. 
 
Fellow First-Team All-OVC pick Romana Tarajova (26-5), Second-Team All-OVC selection Vivian Lai (26-6) and freshman Trinity Calinescu (26-6) are each one single victory away from breaking SEMO's all-time single season record in singles wins.
 
Meanwhile, Second-Team All-OVC honoree Teona Velkoska is on a 15-match winning streak in singles play. Velkoska scored match point in the Redhawks' OVC Tournament championship win over SIU Edwardsville on Apr. 23. At 16-2, she has the best singles record on the team this spring.
 
Ksenia Shikanova is SEMO's other All-OVC performer in 2023. Shikanova earned first-team accolades and enters the NCAA Tournament with an overall 24-8 singles record which includes a 13-6 mark in dual competition.
 
SEMO is 0-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament play with a 4-0 loss at #15 Stanford during its first trip to the 64-team event in 2022.