UC Santa Barbara Women's Tennis recently secured notable honors as Coach Simon Thibodeau was named Big West Coach of the Year and Ekua Youri claimed Big West Player of the Year. The Gauchos concluded the regular season as champions for the sixth time under Thibodeau, defeating five ranked teams including No. 22 Texas Tech. The women's team is now preparing for an NCAA Tournament clash against No. 11 Pepperdine, who dominated in their conference with multiple postseason accolades.

By the Numbers
  • The Gauchos have won six Big West Championships: 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2025, and 2026.
  • Pepperdine holds a combined singles national ranking with players placed at No. 35, 40, 48, and 121.
State of Play
  • UC Santa Barbara stands at No. 50 in the national rankings.
  • Pepperdine is ranked No. 11 and has won 12 consecutive WCC Tournament championships.
What's Next

The Gauchos will face Pepperdine in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, seeking to defeat their highest-ranked opponent this season and advance to the second round.

Bottom Line

With strong individual performances and a successful season, UC Santa Barbara Women鈥檚 Tennis aims to leverage its momentum against Pepperdine, looking to demonstrate their growing prowess on a national stage.