#19 Lady Vols to Close Regular Season with #38 Ole Miss, #12 LSU

Thursday, April 9

Knoxville, Tenn.

5 p.m. ET

University of Tennessee

Ole Miss

#19 Lady Vols to Close Regular Season with #38 Ole Miss, #12 LSU

April 08, 2026 | Women's Tennis

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The No. 19 University of Tennessee women's tennis team (11-8, 6-7) is set to conclude the 2026 regular season this weekend, as it hosts No. 38 Ole Miss (13-9, 5-8) on Thursday before meeting the LSU Tigers (14-7, 7-6) on Saturday at Barksdale Stadium. Thursday's first serve is slated for 5 p.m., while Saturday's matchup will begin at 12 p.m.

Tennessee will honor three senior players – Catherine Aulia, Leyla Britez Risso and Vanesa Suarez – before the weekend's two matches. See below for more information on the players set to be honored for senior weekend.

"I'm so excited for senior weekend," Tennessee head coach Alison Ojeda said. "Leyla, Cat and Vanesa have all been such an important part of our program's success and I am thrilled to be able to share our program with their family!"

Scouting Ole Miss
The Rebels enter Thursday's matchup with a 5-8 record in conference play. After opening the season with an upset victory over then-No. 4 LSU, the Rebs entered a five-match losing skid. They arrive in Knoxville riding a four-match win streak, collecting victories over Alabama and Mississippi State last weekend before taking midweek wins over Mississippi Valley State and Memphis on Tuesday. Ole Miss currently has one ranked singles entry, No. 18 Emily Welker. It also has one ranked doubles entry, and Welker joins Andrea Nova to make the nation's No. 13 duo.

Scouting LSU
The Tigers enter the final weekend of the regular season with a 7-6 conference record, eighth in the SEC standings and one spot ahead of the Lady Vols. After being predicted to finish third in the preseason SEC Coaches poll, the Tigers have held a league winning percentage above .500 just twice this season and currently hold a winning record after a two-win weekend against Alabama and Mississippi State. The Tigers have four ranked singles players and three ranked doubles pairings, headlined by No. 26 Cadence Brace on the solos list and No. 16 Kayla Cross/Ella McDonald on the doubles list.

Senior Weekend
Tennessee will honor three seniors – Catherine Aulia, Leyla Britez Risso and Vanesa Suarez - ahead of the weekend's two matches. Britez Risso will be honored ahead of Thursday's matchup with Ole Miss, while Aulia and Suarez will be honored ahead of the regular season finale against LSU.

"Senior weekend always hits a bit differently," associate head coach Robin Goodman said. "Leyla, Cat, and Vanesa have given so much to this program, and it's been special to see their growth up close. It's sad to see them go, but I'm really excited to follow their continued success for the years to come."

"We are excited to celebrate Cat Vanesa and Leyla," assistant coach Martim Prata said. "They have played an incredible part of our program, and their legacies will stay forever. We are looking forward to finishing the season strong and see them continue to grow and succeed in the future."

More information on the Lady Vol tennis senior class can be found below.

Catherine Aulia | Rosebery, Australia
A two-time All-SEC selection, three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection and 2025 SEC Community Service Team honoree, Catherine is a model LVFL. In her four seasons for the Big Orange, "Cat" has accrued a 73-47 singles record and 79-41 doubles record, and has led the Lady Vols to three super regionals, two national quarterfinals and one national semifinal appearance in 2024. As a senior, she has a 15-11 singles record, including two crucial wins to seal victories over Oklahoma State and Texas. Cat has established herself as one of the program's great leaders, best advocates, and beloved teammates.

Leyla Britez Risso | Asunción, Paraguay
A two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection, Leyla has established herself as one of the nation's most consistent performers during her four seasons as a Lady Vol. She currently sports a career 60-20 singles record and a 52-19 doubles record. In 2026, She boasts an impressive 14-1 singles record, including an 11-0 start to the season and a 7-1 record against nationally ranked opponents. She has led the Lady Vols to three super regionals, two national quarterfinals and one national semifinal appearance in 2024. Her steady demeanor and world-class competitive mindset have established her as not only a dominant force on the court, but an incredible student, teammate and leader off the court.

Vanesa Suarez | Valencia, Venezuela
In her two seasons on Rocky Top, Vanesa has emerged as one of the fiercest competitors in college tennis. She aided the Lady Vols to a national quarterfinal appearance last season and has been a fixture atop the Lady Vol lineup this year. She has collected two ranked singles wins as a senior and has compiled a 9-6 record alongside Francesca Mattioli this season in doubles play. As a senior, she has delivered some of the team's most crucial victories, including her singles win to seal the dual against Clemson, sending her team to the ITA National Indoor Championships. Her drive to win and her passion for the Lady Vols have made her an exemplary competitor, teammate, and LVFL.

Links and Information
All Lady Vol Tennis home matches are free to attend, and all seating is general admission. Home matches will take place at Barksdale Tennis Stadium and the Goodfriend Tennis Center on UT's campus. Fans can park at the nearby G7 lot on match days.

Click the following links to follow Wednesday's matchup with the Knights on live stream and via live stats.

For all the latest information from Lady Vol Tennis, follow the team on Twitter/X @Vol_WTennis, Instagram @vol_wtennis or Facebook.