(WIAA) – The 56th Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association State Girls Individual Tennis Tournament will be held Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 15-17. The meet takes place at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison. Action begins Thursday at 10:30 a.m., resumes Friday at 9 a.m. and continues Saturday at 8:30 a.m.
THE SCHEDULE:
Thursday, Oct. 15
10:30 a.m. First-Round Matches
Friday, Oct. 16
9 a.m. – Action Through Quarterfinals
Saturday, Oct. 17
8:30 a.m. – Consolation Semifinals
9 a.m. – Championship Singles Semifinals
9:30 a.m. – Championship Doubles Semifinals
10 a.m. – Fifth-place Matches
11 a.m. – Third-place Matches
11:30 a.m. – Championship Matches
BY THE NUMBERS: There were 208 teams sponsoring girls tennis this fall and 206 participating in the Tournament Series with 134 in Division 1 and 72 in Division 2. The top four finishers in flight 1 and the top finisher in flight 2 in both singles and doubles play at sectionals qualify for the State Tournament in each division. The seeding committee also adds a maximum of 16 singles players and doubles teams in Division 1 and eight singles players and doubles teams in Division 2 who were eliminated earlier in the Tournament Series.
LAST YEAR: Top-seeded Caroline Raster of Brookfield East won the Division 1 singles title with a 6-3, 3-6, 11-9 victory over second-seeded McKenna Thorson of Verona in the championship match. In Division 1 doubles play, the top-seeded duo of Lizzie and Amelia Stuckslager of Divine Savior Holy Angels captured the crown with a 6-0, 6-1 win over third-seeded Sarah Neubert and Isabella Heidenberger of Arrowhead in the final. In Division 2, top-seeded Susanna Hundt of Chesterton Academy defeated second-seeded Sasha Quandt of Lourdes Academy 4-6, 6-0, 10-8 in the championship match to earn the title. In Division 2 doubles action, top-seeded Vivie Auth and Adel Schneider of St. Mary Catholic won their second straight championship with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over third-seeded Ava Miller and Parker Van Dusen of Kenosha St. Joseph.
AREA PARTICIPANTS
DIVISION 1 – SINGLES: Elise Schrieber, Kimberly; Celia Gentile, Neenah; Madelyn Seidlitz, West De Pere; Vivi Bigari, Notre Dame Academy; Rachel Thomas, Neenah; Alexia Stephens, Bay Port; Anna Miller, Notre Dame Academy.
DIVISION 1 – DOUBLES: Sydney Michalkiewicz/Rebekah Thomas, Neenah; Roise Whitlinger, Monie Whitlinger, Appleton North; Lillianna Graf/Maria Creistescu, De Pere; Ella Motto/Evelyn Buss, Neenah; Bryn Steenbock/Julia Whipp, West De Pere; Linde Lemerond/Aubrie Schuessler, Pulaski; Evelyn Story, Lilly Jensen, Bay Port; Mira Matszewski, Rheya Gala, Bay Port; Olivia Hoffman/Maryn Steenbock, West De Pere.
DIVISION 2 – SINGLES: Scarlett Downs, Xavier; Vivie Auth, St. Mary Catholic.
DIVISION 2 – DOUBLES: Scarlett Bergstrom/Kieran Bergstrom, St. Mary Catholic; Sam Olvey, Maame Yaa berko, Xavier; Halle Janssen/Ella Chier, St. Mary Catholic; Tessa Wallace/Addie Bowe, Xavier.
DIVISION 1 SINGLES NOTES: Sophomore Natalia Martinez of Brookfield East is the top seed in the bracket. She enters action this week undefeated with a 22-0 record this season after finishing fifth a year ago. Junior Brhianna Curro of Homestead is seeded #2. She qualifies for the State Tournament for the second time, entering play with a 27-2 record. She advanced to the second round in 2024 before falling from title contention. Senior Charlotte Meyer of Elkhorn returns to the singles bracket after placing sixth in doubles play last year. She also advanced to the third round in singles play in 2023. Meyer is seeded third this year with a record of 23-1. Lexington Monroe, a senior four-year qualifier from Badger, is the fourth seed. She enters play with a 17-5 mark this season after advancing to the third round in each of the past three seasons. Senior Celia Gentile of Neenah is the #5 seed. The three-time qualifier possesses a 29-3 record this year after advancing to the third round last year and to the second round in 2024 before being eliminated from title contention. Junior Alexia Stephens of Bay Port switched from doubles to singles last year and advanced to the third round. In 2024, she and her partner placed third at State in the doubles bracket. She enters play seeded sixth with a 28-2 record. The seventh seed was issued to junior Andjela Bogovac of Greendale with an unblemished 28-0 tally this year. Qualifying her first two seasons, she advanced to the third round before being ousted from title contention in 2024 and advanced to the quarterfinals last year. Freshman Muskaan Raizada of Waukesha West advances to State as the #8 seed with a 28-2 record. Junior McKaela Smith of Brookfield Central is seeded ninth with a 23-7 mark after gaining experience at State as a freshman last season. She advanced to the second round before being ousted from title contention. Senior Melina Halberg of Sun Prairie West is a three-time qualifier. The #10 seed advanced to the third round in singles play last season after advancing to the quarterfinals with her partner in doubles play in 2024. She has posted a 15-7 record this season.
DIVISION 1 DOUBLES NOTES: The #1 seed is senior Rebekah Thomas and junior Sydney Michalkiewicz of Neenah. The duo enters play with a 30-2 record after placing fifth last season. In addition, Michalkiewicz qualified as a freshman in 2024 and placed third with a different partner. Thomas also qualified with a different partner in 2024, which resulted in a loss in the first round. Junior Sienna Bonfilio and senior Zoja Selak of Brookfield East are seeded second with a 17-2 record. Selak is a four-time doubles qualifier with four different partners. She advanced to the quarterfinals a year ago. In 2023 and 2024, she advanced to the third round before being eliminated from the title chase. Bonfilio qualified with a different partner the past two seasons, advancing to the second round on both occasions. Senior Isabella Heidenberger and junior Iris Liu of Arrowhead have compiled a 17-3 record this season and have been issued the #3 seed. Heidenberger won the State doubles championship with a different partner in 2024 and finished runner-up last year. In 2023, Heidenberger qualified in the singles bracket and advanced to the second round before being defeated. Liu gained State experience by advancing to the second round in singles play last year. The duo of senior Lillianna Graf and junior Maria Cristescu of De Pere is the fourth seed with 26-1 mark. Cristescu qualifies in doubles for the third time. She was half the tandem that placed fourth in 2024 and third last year. Graf switches from singles play after qualifying the past two seasons. She advanced to the second round in 2024 before falling from title contention and lost in the first round last year. Seniors Melina Florentini and Liliana Espinosa of Homestead comprise the #5 seed in the bracket with a 24-5 record. Florentini is a four-time qualifier. She placed fifth with a different partner in both 2023 and 2024 before advancing to the quarterfinal in singles play last year. Espinosa joined forces with the same partner Florentini previously played with to advance to the third round in 2025. The Madison West team of junior Lilah Dean and freshman Emmy Schultz is seeded sixth with a 28-4 mark. Dean qualified with a different partner the last seasons, advancing to the third round last year after falling in the opening round in 2024. Junior Amelia Stuckslager and senior Lydia Packee of Divine Savior Holy Angels have posted a 24-7 record and are the #7 seed. Stuckslager has advanced to the championship match the past two seasons with different partners. She won the title in 2024 and finished runner-up last season. Packee qualified in doubles play with a different partner last season and lost in the opening round. The eighth-seeded duo is senior Olivia Gourlay and junior Natalie Friedman of University School of Milwaukee with a 14-6 record. The partners are back in the tournament after qualifying last year and reaching the second round of play. The Eau Claire Memorial team of junior Emily Halfen and senior Sophie McBride returns intact after moving on to the second round last season. They qualify this year with a 34-3 record and are seeded ninth. Halfen qualified two years ago with a different partner and reached the second round as well. Senior Mira Matuszewski and junior Rheya Gala of Bay Port return to the tournament field for the third time as a tandem. They enter play seeded 10th with a 30-2 record after advancing to the second round in each of the past two seasons. Matuszewski, now a four-time participant, also qualified with a different partner in 2023 and fell in their first-round match.
DIVISION 2 SINGLES NOTES: The top seed in the bracket is senior Kylie Matz of Brookfield Academy with a 23-1 record. The two-time qualifier is back after winning the singles championship two seasons ago. Junior Vivie Auth of St. Mary Catholic switches to singles play after earning the doubles title in each of the past two years. She enters play as the second seed with an undefeated 25-0 record. Senior Sasha Quandt of Lourdes Academy is seeded #3 with a 17-2 mark this season. She finished runner-up last year after a fourth-place finish in 2024. The four-time qualifier also advanced to the quarterfinals as a freshman in 2023. Senior Carla Villarubia of Lodi is a first-time qualifier. She was issued the fourth seed with an undefeated 19-0 record. Senior Lily Goeddel of Madison Country Day qualifies for the first time with a 13-2 record. She received the fifth seed. The sixth seed is sophomore Annabelle Parker of Big Foot. She is pursuing a State title after placing fourth in her first season. Parker qualifies this season with a 24-1 record. Junior Abigail Barker of Edgewood is seeded seventh with a 17-8 record. She competed in the tournament last season and fell in her opening-round match. Eighth-seeded Eila Webber of Kohler qualifies with a 12-13 record. The senior is a three-time qualifier. She has advanced to the second round in her appearances in 2024 and 2025 before falling from title contention.
DIVISION 2 DOUBLES NOTES: Juniors Ava Miller and Parker Van Dusen of Kenosha St. Joseph are the top-seeded tandem in the bracket with a 24-0 record. They look to improve on their runner-up finish last year after they placed fourth in 2024. Juniors Grace and Hope Saller of St. Thomas More are the #2 seed with a 22-2 mark this season. They finished third a year ago after advancing to the third round before being eliminated from title contention in 2024. The sophomore tandem of Lizzie Ullman and Evie McWey of Catholic Memorial is seeded third after qualifying as freshmen last season. They have their sights on a deeper run in the tournament after falling in the opening round of competition a year ago. The duo enters play with a 7-7 record. Senior Susanna Hundt of Chesterton Academy, last year’s singles champion, and junior Maeve Tuttle comprise the fourth-seeded doubles team. A three-time singles qualifier, Hundt also placed third in 2024 and sixth in 2023. The tandem has recorded a 9-3 tally this season. The fifth seed is the Aquinas team of senior Eva Willenbring and junior Hannah Miller, who have compiled a 20-2 mark this season. Willenbring has previous tournament experience with a different partner. In 2024, she qualified with a different partner, which resulted in a loss in the first round. Junior Lindsey Stoffregen and freshman Claire Villrock of Kohler are the sixth seed with a 19-6 record. They embark on their first appearance in the State Individual Tournament, although Stoffregen was a member of the Blue Bomber squad that qualified for the team tournament in 2024. The St. Mary Catholic duo of senior Halle Janssen and junior Ella Chier also qualifies for the first time. They are seeded seventh with a 20-5 record. The Shorewood combo of senior Evelyn Schuurman and junior Alaina Tautges has earned its first trip to the individual tournament but has experience in the team championships. They contributed to the Greyhounds’ team title last year. The duo enter play as the eighth seed with a 21-7 record.
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