MILLBROOK, Ala. - Ahead of the official start of the 2026 spring season, Coastal Alabama - South Women's Tennis delivered the most successful tournament performance in program history at the ITA JUCO Women's Southeast Regional Championship, competing against teams from Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.

The Coyotes collected multiple championships and top finishes throughout the weekend, highlighted by sophomore transfers Isabella Canedo of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and Xaviera Melgar of Tacna, Peru, capturing the A Draw doubles championship as an unseeded pair.

Canedo and Melgar opened the tournament with an impressive 8-0 victory over Snead State's (Ala.) Keira Harbison and Charlie Lambert in the Round of 16. The Coastal Alabama - South duo continued its run with an upset of the No. 2-seeded Sara Turblen and Martina Aviles of the University of South Carolina - Sumter in the quarterfinals.

The semifinal round featured an all-Coastal Alabama - South matchup, with Canedo and Melgar upsetting No. 3 seeds and teammates Neda Kocyte and Nadja Walter, 9-7, to advance to the championship match.

In the finals, Canedo and Melgar faced the No. 1-seeded Rachel Blais and Yu Lin of Oxford College of Emory University (Ga.). After dropping the opening set in a 7-6(4) tiebreaker, the 'Yotes duo responded emphatically, winning the next two sets 6-1 and 6-2 to claim the regional championship.

With the regional title, Canedo and Melgar earned an automatic bid to the ITA Cup in Rome, Georgia, October 15-18, where they will compete for the ITA JUCO National Championship.

Other Highlights

The Coyotes continued to find success throughout the tournament.

Sophomores Amber Langendries of Belgium and Stephania Chacon of Pell City, Ala. captured the Draw A Consolation Championship, defeating the University of South Carolina - Sumter 9-7 in the final.

In the B Draw singles competition, freshman Marlai Walter, the No. 5 seed, defeated Coastal - South teammate and No. 6 seed S'ynia Warren, 6-3, 6-4, to claim the singles championship.

Walter also teamed with fellow freshman S'ynia Warren to capture the B Draw doubles championship. The Coastal Alabama - South pair defeated Bevill State (Ala.) 8-5 in the championship match.

In A Draw doubles, sophomores Nadja Walter of Pretoria, South Africa, and Neda Kocyte of Vilnius, Lithuania, finished third after defeating Wallace State - Hanceville (Ala.) 8-4 in the third-place match.

The historic weekend provided an early measuring stick for the Coyotes as they prepare for the official start of the 2026 season in the spring.

"Overall, I could not be prouder of the efforts, grit, and determination the team showed over the weekend," Coastal Alabama - South Head Tennis Coach Kouri Allen said. "The ITA regional tournament provides an early opportunity to compete against teams we will play in conference and hopefully at the national tournament in May. This weekend showed that we have the ability to compete against the best talent in the southeast and that the team has a solid foundation to continue to build upon daily."

Coastal Alabama - South will now turn its attention toward continued preparation for the 2026 spring season, while Canedo and Melgar prepare to represent the Coyotes at the ITA Cup in October.
 

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