El Aouni Among the Nation's Top-100 in ITA Preseason Rankings

ORLANDO - UCF sophomore Aya El Aouni has been ranked No. 94 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Preseason Singles Rankings, as announced on Tuesday afternoon. The honor comes after a standout freshman campaign that saw El Aouni emerge as one of the nation’s top collegiate newcomers.

Compiling a 12-5 singles record and a 16-7 doubles mark during the 2025 spring season, El Aouni proved to be one of the most dominant competitors in the nation last season. She became the first Knight in program history to earn Big 12 Player of the Week honors on March 4, and was named to both the All-Big 12 Freshman Team and the Doubles Second Team.

El Aouni is no stranger to preseason pressure. Ranked as the fifth-highest newcomer in the nation last season, she continued to raise the bar, climbing as high as No. 85 in the ITA singles rankings, appearing in three consecutive editions to open the spring. The Moroccan native's breakout season culminated in earning the ITA Southeast Rookie of the Year title, a prestigious award recognizing top-performing athletes from Georgia and Florida. 

Competing on both of the front singles courts, El Aouni posted a 5-1 record on court one and a 6-4 record on court two. She delivered in high-pressure moments, aiding in a 4-3 comeback win over No. 24 Florida State with a court-two victory over Maria Romero and clinching a 4-3 road win at No. 25 Oklahoma State by defeating Melisa Ercan on court one.

El Aouni also tallied a pair of ranked singles wins during the year, defeating No. 52 Oyinlomo Quadre (FIU) and No. 57 Esha Velaga (Penn), while also managing an impressive 5-2 record in Big 12 singles action.

In doubles, she formed a dominant partnership with then senior Sophia Biolay, going 13-5 overall and 12-2 on court two. The duo defeated Baylor’s 89th-ranked pair on March 7, contributing to a key conference win. Together, El Aouni and Biolay won 12 consecutive matches from Feb. 28 to April 12 and went undefeated in Big 12 doubles play to earn a place on the All-Big 12 Doubles Second Team.

With her debut season already etched into UCF history, El Aouni enters her sophomore year as one of the nation’s most promising rising stars.