ORLANDO – Success on the recruiting trail continues for UCF women's tennis, as the Knights earned the No. 7 spot in the nation in the latest 2026 recruiting class rankings released by Tennis Recruiting Network on Monday afternoon.
Women's Tennis Lands No. 7 Recruiting Class in Nation in 2026 Tennis Recruiting Network Rankings
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The Knights assembled one of the nation’s top recruiting classes, earning 292 points, as voted on by the network. UCF was the only Big 12 program ranked inside the national top 10 and finished ahead of other familiar foes, including Florida, Florida State and FAU.
The Black and Gold’s highly touted 2026 class is headlined by three standout international recruits: Wei Zhangqian, Marta Makarova and Konoha Kawasaki. Here’s a closer look at each of the rising stars:
Wei Zhangqian | China | UTR, 10.80
Zhangqian joins the Knights with an impressive international resume, holding an ITF junior ranking of No. 94, having captured four ITF Junior Titles, while also bearing a national ranking of No. 36 in China.
One of her most impressive performances to date came earlier this calendar year at the J100 Huzhou, where she only dropped one set across all five rounds of play, eventually taking down China’s Ru Xi Wu in a dominating 6-2, 6-1 win in the final round to take home the champion title.
Hailing from Kaifeng, China, Zhangqian has already showcased her ability to compete amongst the best, having qualified for both the 2025 Junior Australian Open and U.S. Open.
Marta Makarova | Russia | UTR, 10.55
Ranking No. 57 nationally in 18U in her home country, Makarova comes to Orlando from Kirov, Russia, boasting an impressive junior training campaign.
Markarova brings a competitive edge to the squad, having captured three ITF Junior titles and achieved an ITF Pro ranking of 248.
Most recently, Makarova won back-to-back singles titles at the J60 Tsakhadzor. The first of the titles included a hard-fought win over top Russian player, Felitsata Dorofeeva-Rybas, after dropping the first set 5-7, Makarova came back to take the next two sets with decisive 6-2, 6-4 wins to bring home the singles champion title.
Konoha Kawasaki | Japan | UTR, 9.42
Kawasaki joins the Knights with an impressive list of accomplishments on the national stage in Japan, highlighted by a runner-up finish at the National Selection Championships in singles and a third-place finish at the JOC Junior Olympic Cup.
A standout doubles competitor, Kawasaki has captured titles at both the Inter-High School Championships and the All Japan Junior Championships, proving her ability to perform under pressure against some of the country's top junior talent.
Most notably, Kawasaki has already found success against elite competition at the professional level, reaching the quarterfinals in doubles at the Japan National Championships. With a track record of success across both junior and professional events, she brings valuable experience and a winning pedigree to the Knights roster.
