Since taking over back in 2018, head coach Alison Silverio has set the Notre Dame women’s tennis program on a steady upward trajectory. In many ways, the 2024-25 campaign was a culmination of what she’s been building, as the Irish totaled their most overall wins (21) in the Silverio era and most ACC wins (nine) since joining the conference in 2013.
“Each year we’ve elevated our standards, strengthened our connection and toughness and deepened our trust in one another,” Silverio said. “This group has fully embraced our culture, staying united, being coachable and fiercely competing with discipline.”
After starting the season 7-0, Notre Dame did not suffer its first loss until Feb. 7 against Ohio State. They surrendered only seven points on the winning run, which included hard-fought victories over Big Ten opponents Illinois and Maryland, who finished the season ranked No. 38 and No. 53, respectively. After falling to the Buckeyes, the Irish returned to their winning ways, sweeping Bellarmine in a weekend doubleheader before downing Xavier 5-2 the following weekend. Approaching the end of February, Notre Dame began conference play 2-0 with wins against No. 50 SMU and No. 37 Wake Forest.
They fell to an elite, No. 11-ranked NC State team to open the month of March before splitting during spring break in the Sunshine State, losing 4-0 to No. 50 Miami before edging No. 64 Florida State 4-3. Moving through the heart of a gauntlet ACC conference slate, the Irish swept Louisville and scraped past No. 69 Virginia Tech before falling 4-1 to Virginia. They closed the month of March sitting at an impressive 15-4 with a solid 5-3 conference mark.
Playing their final two weekends of the regular season at the Eck Tennis Pavilion, Notre Dame went 4-0 with wins against No. 34 Clemson, No. 29 Georgia Tech, No. 58 Syracuse and Boston College. Riding that momentum into postseason play, they hit the 20-win mark with a 4-2 victory against Wake Forest in the First Round of the ACC Tournament. However, they were eliminated next round in a regular-season rematch against NC State.
Junior Akari Matsuno, who earned the lone point in the 4-1 loss to the Wolfpack, led a standout Irish singles lineup all season. Her 13-6 mark, which included four victories over nationally ranked opponents, placed her No. 58 in the country. Junior Rylie Hanford paced the group with 18 wins on the year, mostly from the No. 5 court. Fellow junior Bojana Pozder was not far behind with 15 wins of her own across the top four courts. Manning the middle of the lineup, senior Nibi Ghosh owned a 12-1 record, going a perfect 7-0 in ACC play. Senior Maria Olivia Castedo and freshman Bianca Molnar rounded out the successful group for much of the season, one that combined to go 84-41 overall.
“Belief, preparation and unity,” Silverio said when asked about the keys to success in singles. “Our players trust each other, compete for one another and stay committed to executing with purpose and grit.”
After a 4-0 sweep of UIC in the First Round, Notre Dame saw their season end in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament after a 4-1 loss to the No. 4 seed Buckeyes. Despite the disappointing ending, Silverio remained satisfied by the team’s growth throughout the season.
“We made real progress in our consistency, resilience and connection,” Silverio said. “We are continuing to maximize how we respond to challenges and adversity. Our next step is sharpening our focus in the small margins, where matches are ultimately decided.”
An upperclassmen-heavy group, Notre Dame will have questions to answer in the offseason. However, their core of returning juniors in Matsuno, Hanford and Pozder will power the singles lineup and are primed to step into leadership roles. Under the tutelage of a strong group of seniors, freshman Bianca Molnar thrived in her first year and should continue to grow into a key contributor next season. Despite being their best season in over a decade, the pinnacle of Silverio’s Notre Dame tenure may very well be yet to come.
