This past weekend, the Notre Dame women’s tennis team drove to Columbus for the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championships. Finishing with a 19-10 record, the team notched a 4-3 win against Arizona in the first round before falling 4-0 to No. 4 Ohio State for the second year in a row. Despite the early exit, it was a solid year for the Irish, who notched some impressive wins this spring, including 4-3 victories over Stanford and Clemson.
Alison Silverio has served as the women’s tennis head coach since 2018, coming off of a stellar playing career for Georgia Tech, where she won a national championship, and an impressive coaching stint at Oregon. Since her instatement, Silverio has steadily improved the Irish program. Her best season to date came in 2024-2025, when the team finished No. 23 with a 21-6 record.
While the team did not quite reach that mark this year, Silverio emphasized the amount of growth she saw from the players.
“Through the spring season, I would say one of the biggest improvements that we’ve seen has just been the consistency of focus. We’re coming out every day able to maximize the time that we do have on the court, in our training sessions, in our weight room sessions, in our conditioning sessions. It’s been so fun to observe and be a part of that development,” she said.
College tennis often lacks stability. Teams are rarely at home, and the travel and court-sharing logistics can throw practice schedules haywire. More significantly, draws often include unfamiliar teams, which can influence strategy going into a dual. Silverio explained her mindset heading into this stretch of the season.
“For us, the mindset stays the same for every match. We’re going out there and competing our tails off. We’re doing it unified and focusing on the pieces that we have control over. Whether it’s a conference opponent, whether it’s a regional opponent, or a new opponent, the mindset and how we approach each match remains the same. We take care of the details with our preparation and regroup after. It’s all about playing for one another and fighting to our max capacity for Notre Dame,” she said.
After the second round exit in the NCAA Tournament, it will be back to the practice court for Silverio and the women’s team. The squad is young and full of talent, and with a competent coach at the helm, things are trending up for next spring. The tennis grind never stops, and unlike many other sports, there is no true offseason. Players participate in International Tennis Federation matches during summer and fall, with aims of preparing for the spring and maybe even gaining a few pro Women’s Tennis Association points.
While Bojana Pozder, Akari Matsuno and Rylie Hanford are all graduating this spring, the majority of the team remains untouched. Sophomore Bianca Molnar, who consistently led the team at the No. 1 singles and doubles positions, returns next season, followed by a talented freshman class of Mari-Louise Van Zyl, Jessica Kovalcik, Sophia Holod and Gabriella Rawles. Despite losing three stalwarts, the women’s team enters next season with considerable match experience across the lineup. The team will also add significant firepower, boasting the No. 17 recruiting class in the country. Signings include New Jersey prospect Aria Nina Abalos, a blue-chip recruit.
Irish fans should look forward to next year with a good load of optimism because this Notre Dame women’s tennis team seems ready to level up and make a splash on the big stage.
