KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its ninth Athlete of the Week award for the 2025 women’s tennis season. Nebraska Kearney's Narindra Ranaivo was crowned the latest MIAA Athlete of the Week for the Lopers third weekly honor of the season.
MIAA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Narindra Ranaivo, Nebraska Kearney
Ranked No. 26 nationally in singles and No. 10 in doubles with sophomore Tanya Midzi, Narindra Ranaivo went 4-0 this past weekend as No. 15-ranked Nebraska Kearney hosted a pair of MIAA matches in the Lopers Ernest Grundy Tennis Center. Hosting Emporia State on Friday (April 4), Ranaivo rallied to defeat Emporia’s Yuliya Klimova 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2 singles. Her and Midzi also collected a 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles to secure the Lopers 5-2 victory. The following day, Ranaivo and Midzi were the only Lopers to go undefeated in Nebraska Kearney’s 4-3 loss to No. 11-ranked Washburn. The duo upset the No. 2-ranked doubles pair in Division II 6-3 for the Lopers only doubles point. The senior from Moramanga, Madagascar, then defeated UNK’s Leo Floeth in straight sets (6-1, 6-3) at No. 2 singles. Ranaivo now has 166 combined wins and needs just two more to set a new UNK school record.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Renske Ubachs, Washburn
Renske Ubahcs went a combined 3-1 on the week at No. 1 singles and doubles, helping the No. 11 Washburn’s win streak extend to 10 straight. In the 4-3 win over Fort Hays State, Ubachs and Daniela Tijaro worked a 6-1 win at No. 1 doubles before defeating Shreethika Vangala in two sets, both 6-2. In the ranked road win over No. 15 Nebraska Kearney, she and Tijaro lost No. 1 doubles to No. 10-ranked Tanya Midzi and Narindra Ranaivo, after doubles had been won for the Ichabods. In singles action, she defeated UNK’s No. 9-ranked Fabiana Gamboa in two sets, 6-4 and 7-6(1) in a tiebreaker.
Giovanna Ferreira, Emporia State
Giovanna Ferreira went 2-0 with a top-ten win in No. 1 singles play as the Hornets went 1-1 against MIAA opponents last week. The sophomore from Curitiba, Brazil, defeated UNK's Fabiana Gamboa, who was ranked No. 9 in the nation, 7-5, 6-4 in Kearney. Ferreira finished her week dropping just two games in a 6-1, 6-1 win over FHSU's Shreethika Vangala.
Elena Rey Garcia, Missouri Western
Elena Rey Garcia went undefeated in all of her matches this past week as Missouri Western split a pair of MIAA matches against Arkansas-Fort Smith and Northeastern State. Against UAFS, Rey Garcia and Cristina Granero Boj took the No. 1 doubles match 6-4. She then went on to win 6-3, 6-4 at No. 4 singles, helping the Griffons to the 5-2 victory over the Lions. Against the RiverHawks, Rey Garcia won at No. 1 Doubles 7-6, winning the tiebreaking game 9-7. She then went on to win No. 4 singles again as well with scores of 6-2, 6-4.
ALSO NOMINATED:
Tegan Heaton [Northeastern State], Nefeli Zafeiri [Central Oklahoma], Irina Alfonso [Fort Hays State]
2025 MIAA WOMEN’S TENNIS ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
WEEK ONE: Lilie Bizouerne, Emporia State
WEEK TWO: Ayaka Koga, Central Oklahoma
WEEK THREE: Alexis Bernthal, Nebraska Kearney
WEEK FOUR: Masha Hatouka, Nebraska Kearney
WEEK FIVE: Perla Conde, Emporia State
WEEK SIX: Renske Ubachs, Washburn
WEEK SEVEN: Suzana Faucz, Fort Hays State
WEEK EIGHT: Irina Alfonso, Fort Hays State
WEEK NINE: Narindra Ranaivo, Nebraska Kearney