How do you follow up a season that made UCF Athletics history? For head coach Bryan Koniecko and assistant coach Francesca Di Lorenzo, the answer was simple — you raise the standard.
“I couldn’t be more proud of what this group accomplished this season. We came a long way from where we started in the fall, with a lot of moments that forced us to look in the mirror and decide what kind of team we wanted to become. I’m incredibly proud of the direction this group chose to take our program, and the commitment they showed every single day to make it happen.”
KonieckoOn the 2025-26 SeasonJust one year removed from UCF Athletics’ first-ever Big 12 team championship – a share of the 2025 regular-season title in only the Knights’ second season in the conference – expectations were high for the UCF women’s tennis team, which returned nearly its entire 2024-25 roster.
The Knights not only met those expectations but raised the bar again, capturing a second straight regular-season title, securing the program’s 11th NCAA Tournament berth, and finishing the season ranked No. 20 nationally.
From historic milestones to individual accolades, the 2025-26 season became another step forward for a program continuing to set new standards.
SAME TEAM, NEW NORMS
After bringing in a historically talented freshman class during the 2024-25 campaign, Koniecko’s 2025-26 roster required little retooling. The Knights returned six standout players from the previous season, including four key sophomores who formed the core of the lineup. Following a 23-4 campaign that ended with the team ranked No. 21 nationally, expectations were high entering the new season, with the Knights projected to finish second in the Big 12 preseason poll.
Olivia Bergler and Aya El Aouni, both central pieces of the Knights’ sophomore core, were expected to play major roles entering the season. El Aouni entered the year ranked No. 94 in the ITA preseason singles poll after earning the 2025 Southeast Regional Rookie of the Year title. Bergler, meanwhile, was coming off a strong fall campaign in which she posted an 8-4 singles record and earned the first ITA doubles ranking of her career, closing out 2025 ranked No. 50 nationally in doubles.
Jantje Tilbuerger, a four-year member of the Black and Gold, was also poised for an exciting season. After missing much of the previous year due to injury, the senior returned for her second season as team captain and was expected to make a significant impact on the Knights’ top courts following the departure of standout Sophia Biolay.
Looking to add experience to an otherwise young roster, Koniecko welcomed four newcomers ahead of the season, consisting of two freshmen and two transfers. Headlining the group was senior transfer Daryna Shoshyna from Northern Arizona, who came to the Knights after a dominant three-year run out west. Shoshyna arrived carrying unanimous Big Sky Conference MVP honors after posting a 17-1 singles record, including a 9-1 mark on court one during the 2024-25 campaign.
Roster Breakdown
Senior: Jantje Tilbuerger (Germany), Daryna Shoshyna (Ukraine), Donatella Guarnieri (Florida)
Sophomore: Olivia Bergler (Poland), Aya El Aouni (Morocco), Jade Psonka (France), Hannah Rylatt (England), Vladislava Andreevskaya (Kyrgyzstan)
Freshman: Marina Gatell (Spain), Lauren Seye (Belgium)
EARLY SETBACKS & STEP-UPS
After opening the season with a 4-1 home win over longtime rival USF, the Knights traveled to Baton Rouge, La., for ITA Kickoff Weekend with hopes of securing a spot in the ITA Indoor Championships. UCF faced No. 18 UCLA in the opening round, but the Knights’ first road test of the season proved challenging as they fell 4-1 to the Bruins.
Despite the setback in just the team’s second match of the year, the Knights responded quickly. UCF swept Marshall in the consolation match in Baton Rouge before returning to the Sunshine State, where its strong form continued with back-to-back 4-1 victories over Florida State and FIU.
However, it wasn’t long before adversity struck the Black and Gold in a different form. By mid-February, three key players had suffered season-ending injuries, forcing the Knights to quickly adjust their lineup and depth for the remainder of the season.
Nonetheless, Koniecko’s squad proved resilient, posting a 7-1 nonconference record that included a perfect 6-0 mark against in-state opponents. It marked the best in-state record of any program during the season and the strongest in-state performance of the Koniecko era.
Much of UCF’s success amid the setbacks was fueled by freshman Marina Gatell, who quickly emerged as a key contributor in both singles and doubles play. The Mallorca, Spain, native opened the season with a 5-0 singles record and a 5-2 doubles mark, establishing herself as a dependable presence near the top of the lineup.
Gatell was especially effective during nonconference action, going a perfect 4-0 on court three. Her strong start included an early ranked victory over No. 96 Laura Putz, as she battled to a 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 win that clinched UCF’s 4-1 victory over Florida State on Jan. 30.
By season’s end, Gatell had emerged as one of the Big 12’s top freshmen, posting a 16-3 dual-match record, the most wins by any freshman in the conference this season and the best mark by a UCF freshman since Rebeka Stolmar’s 21-2 campaign in 2018. She also proved to be a difference-maker in clutch moments, delivering six match-clinching victories while earning three conference honors: Big 12 All-Tournament Team Court One Doubles, All-Big 12 First Team Doubles and All-Big 12 Freshman Team recognition.
“This team faced a great deal of adversity throughout the year, and the way they responded is something I’ll continue to use as an example moving forward. It was truly special to witness.”
KonieckoBIG 12 BATTLES
Riding a six-match winning streak into the start of Big 12 play, the Knights opened conference action with a pair of home matches against BYU and Utah. The weekend lived up to the hype, as UCF earned a 4-1 victory over the Cougars on Friday evening before sweeping the Utes that Sunday.
With a shortened roster, the Knights settled into what would become their staple conference lineup early on: sophomore Bergler on court one, senior Tilbuerger on court two and freshman Gatell on court three.
Following the strong opening weekend, the Knights traveled west to Arizona for their first major road swing of the season, taking on the Arizona Wildcats and then-No. 12 Arizona State.
The Knights were pushed to the brink in the weekend opener, falling 4-3 to the Wildcats in a tightly contested battle. But any disappointment was short-lived. Two days later in Tempe, UCF delivered one of its biggest results of the season, stunning the nationally ranked Sun Devils, 4-3, in a breakthrough road upset.
Despite claiming the doubles point against Arizona State, the Knights quickly found themselves in a 3-1 deficit during singles play. But in what became a defining trait of the season, UCF refused to back down. Wins on courts six, four, and three evened the match, leaving the outcome to court two, where senior captain Tilbuerger battled ASU’s Sara Svetac in a decisive third set. Under pressure, Tilbuerger delivered, closing out a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory to clinch the upset.
The momentum carried back to Orlando, where the Knights hosted Colorado and Texas Tech in another pivotal weekend stretch. UCF handled Colorado convincingly in a 4-1 win before turning its attention to a tougher challenge in Texas Tech. The Red Raiders handed the Knights their lone conference loss the previous season and later eliminated UCF in the final round of the Big 12 Tournament. This time, the Knights responded differently.
After dropping the doubles point, UCF quickly regained control with straight-set victories on courts six, four, one, and three, securing the program’s first-ever win over the Red Raiders.
CAPTAIN CLUTCH
Much of the Knights’ conference success was driven by senior captain Jantje Tilbuerger. The Ganderkesee, Germany, native entered her fourth season with the Black and Gold already established as a cornerstone of the program since the 2022-23 season.
In her second season as captain, and finally fully healthy, Tilbuerger was expected to play a major role for the Knights. Still, her impact exceeded expectations. By the midpoint of conference play, she had clinched all five of UCF’s Big 12 victories to that point while remaining undefeated on court two with an 8-0 record.
Tilbuerger only strengthened her grip on the lineup after moving up to court one, where she earned the first individual ranking of the season, and the team’s first individual of the season, debuting at No. 115 after closing the regular season on a 12-match winning streak.
One of her defining performances came in the Knights’ Big 12 semifinal matchup against Arizona. With a trip to the conference championship on the line, Tilbuerger battled through three sets to secure the clinching point with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 victory, sending UCF to the title match for the second consecutive season.
By season’s end, Tilbuerger had compiled a 17-2 dual-match record, including a perfect 10-0 mark on court two. She also delivered six match-clinching victories and earned three postseason honors: Big 12 All-Tournament Team Doubles, All-Big 12 First Team Singles and All-Big 12 First Team Doubles. With one season of eligibility remaining, all eyes will be on Tilbuerger next year, as she finished this season ranked No. 122 nationally.
The moment 👇 https://t.co/AXVA83BT4X pic.twitter.com/OehQAwew79
— UCF Women's Tennis (@UCF_WTennis) April 18, 2026
HAULING HOME THE HARDWARE – AGAIN.
Back in Orlando for the season’s final stretch, the Knights remained firmly in the hunt for the Big 12 regular-season title. Following an Oklahoma State forfeit due to an insufficient number of available players, UCF closed the regular season on Senior Knight with a commanding 4-1 win over the Wildcats.
The victory secured the Knights’ second consecutive undefeated regular season at the USTA National Campus and extended their dominance at home under head coach Koniecko, who has guided UCF to a 103-24 home record since 2016, including four perfect home seasons. By the end of the regular season, the Knights had built a 20-match home winning streak, the longest in the Big 12 and one of the longest in the nation.
“I want to sincerely thank our fans and supporters for their unwavering support throughout the season. Going back-to-back years without losing a home match is an incredible accomplishment, and I truly believe our community played a major role in helping us achieve that. The energy and support our fans bring create a special environment for our players, and it’s an absolute privilege to compete in front of them.”
KonieckoThat streak set the stage for a dramatic three-way race atop the conference standings. No. 18 UCF, No. 20 TCU, and No. 11 Arizona State all sat tied at 9-2. With no tiebreaker in place, whichever team swept its final two matches would claim a share of the Big 12 regular-season crown.
The Knights handled the first step with ease, sweeping Cincinnati 4-0 to set up a winner-take-all finale at West Virginia.
UCF grabbed the doubles point behind wins from Jade Psonka and Donatella Guarnieri on court three and Bergler and Lauren Seye on court two, then built control in singles as Tilbuerger and Gatell delivered straight-set victories.
West Virginia fought back with wins on courts four and six, but the pressure once again found Psonka. The sophomore battled through a first-set tiebreak before closing out a 7(7)-6(2), 6-4 win on court five, clinching both the match and the Big 12 title for the Knights.
With the 4-2 victory, UCF secured its second straight conference championship, becoming the first program in the school’s Big 12 era to win back-to-back titles.
POSTSEASON PEDIGREE
After splitting the regular-season title with Arizona State, UCF earned the one seed in the Big 12 Championship for the first time in program history, hosting the conference tournament at its home USTA National Campus.
Awaiting the Knights in the quarterfinals was BYU, the same team UCF opened conference play against months earlier. Though the Knights looked far different by postseason play, the result stayed the same, as UCF earned a 4-2 win behind a clinch from Gatell.
The semifinals brought a tougher challenge in Arizona, one of just two teams to defeat the Knights during the regular season after handing UCF a 4-3 road loss earlier in the year. After dropping the doubles point, the Knights once again needed a response in singles and found one quickly, storming back with wins across the lineup before Tilbuerger delivered a dramatic three-set clinch to send UCF to its second consecutive conference championship match.
UCF carried momentum into the title match against TCU, claiming the doubles point early, but the Horned Frogs ultimately answered in singles to take the championship, 4-1. Despite the loss, the Knights remained firmly positioned among the nation’s top teams and were selected as the No. 2 seed in the Raleigh Regional of the NCAA Tournament.
Though host school NC State ended UCF’s season in the second round of the tournament, the bid continued a sustained stretch of success under Koniecko. The appearance marked the seventh NCAA Tournament berth in Koniecko’s 10 seasons leading the program, where he holds a 24-5 record.
“Defending our regular-season title meant a great deal to this group, and they fought for it every single match. I’m so glad they were able to share the moment of lifting that trophy together, it’s a memory they’ll carry with them forever. We also made another tremendous run to the Big 12 Championship, and this experience has only made us more motivated to get back to that stage again”
KonieckoABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.