2023 American Athletic Conference Women's Tennis Championship
USTA National Campus – Orlando, FL
Thursday, Apr. 20 | 8 a.m. CT
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ORLANDO (SMU)- The No. 35 SMU women's tennis team earned the No. 1 seed for the American Athletic Conference Women's Tennis Championship. SMU earned the No. 1 seed for the first time in the AAC.
 
The Mustangs begin tournament play on Thursday, facing the winner of Wednesday's first-round match between Temple and Tulane.
 
The Mustangs shutout Tulane in their regular-season match on Mar. 12 at the Styslinger/ Altec Tennis Complex extending their win streak to seven matches over the Green Wave. SMU has yet to play Temple this season.
 
SMU earned the top ranked seed after its 4-2 victory against UCF on Sunday, which put the Mustangs in front of the Knights in the ITA rankings used to determine the seeds for the tournament.
 
SMU earned the No. 2 seed last tournament where they fell to the then No. 3 seed Tulsa in the semi-final match.

The Mustangs have won their last four of five matches, all against ranked opponents and have defeated each of their conference opponents, blanking three of the four.

In the new batch of ITA rankings, SMU jumped 12 spots to the No. 35 ranked team in the nation capturing its highest ranking this season. Leading SMU to a pair of ranked wins on the road and grabbing her biggest win this season, Hadley Doyle moved up 43 spots to the No. 80 ranked singles player. Taylor Johnson and Jackie Nylander remain as the No. 70 ranked doubles duo in the nation.

MUSTANG MARK
No. 80- ranked Hadley Doyle was named the AAC Women's Player of the Week (Apr. 18). Doyle led SMU to a pair of wins against nationally ranked teams to help the Mustangs earn the top seed for the American Athletic Conference Championship. Playing in the No. 1 singles position, Doyle scored a 6-2, 6-0 win to lead SMU to a 4-0 win against No. 25 San Diego. She followed with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win at No. 1 against The American's highest-ranked singles player in a 4-2 victory against No. 39 UCF. Doyle was also named the AAC Women's Player of the Week on Feb. 15 after defeating the nation's No. 56-ranked player in three sets. Doyle takes a 9-3 dual-match record into the postseason.

Graduate student, Taylor Johnson is coming off being named the AAC Women's Player of the Week (Apr. 11) for the first time in her career. Johnson won a pair of singles matches in straight sets as part of SMU's 1-1 week against ranked opponents. She scored a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 2 singles to lead the Mustangs to a 4-2 win against No. 44 Rice, while she took a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 2 to give SMU its only team point in a 4-1 setback to No. 42 Baylor. Johnson also picked up SMU's third point of the day against No. 25 San Diego with a straight set victory. Johnson extends her win streak to seven straight as she improved to 10-4 in dual matches in the 2023 spring season.

Drew Morris, was the AAC Women's Player of the Week (Apr. 4) for the second time this season. Morris led SMU to a 4-2 win against No. 39 UCF in the Mustangs' last dual match of the regular season. Morris improved to 13-3 in dual matches in the spring season and leads the team in most victories. Morris was also named AAC Women's Tennis Player of the Week on Jan. 24. Since fall 2022, Morris is 26-8 in singles action.
 
Lana Mavor holds a 12-3 record throughout the 2023 season. Mavor has clinched the match in six of SMU's victories (Incarnate Word, VCU, USF, Richmond, Denver and San Diego). Mavor picked up the second and final point for the Mustangs against No. 23 ASU in three sets victory on Court 6. Mavor picked up the Mustangs second point against No. 1 Texas with a straight set victory at No. 6. The senior has gone 25-7 in singles play in the 2022-23 season.
 
Jackie Nylander had her third match-clincher of the 2023 season with a straight set victory on Court 4 against then No. 44 Rice. 

Nylander and doubles partner, Maja Makoric got SMU to a 1-0 lead by capturing the doubles point in its past two matches against ranked opponents.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
The No. 8 seed Tulane holds a 7-10 record throughout the spring. The Green Wave finished regular season play on a two-match losing streak as they had a pair of 4-3 losses to then No. 68 Tulsa and then No. 55 USF.

The No. 9 seed Temple ended the regular season with a 16-4 record. Temple won the last six matches and are 5-2 in matches away from home this season.

SMU IN THE ITA RANKINGS
ITA Team Rankings (April 18 ranking)

35 SMU

Women's Singles (April 18 ranking)

80 Hadley Doyle

Women's Doubles (April 18 ranking)

70 Taylor Johnson/ Jackie Nylander

ITA Team Rankings (April 11 ranking)

47 SMU

Women's Singles (April 11 ranking)

123 Hadley Doyle

Women's Doubles (April 11 ranking)

70 Taylor Johnson/ Jackie Nylander

ITA Team Rankings (April 4 ranking)

54 SMU

Women's Singles (April 4 ranking)

120 Hadley Doyle

Women's Doubles (April 4 ranking)

56 Taylor Johnson/ Jackie Nylander

ITA Team Rankings (March 28 ranking)

56 SMU

ITA Team Rankings (March 21 ranking)

62 SMU

Women's Singles (March 21 ranking)

112 Hadley Doyle

Women's Doubles (March 21 ranking)

37 Taylor Johnson/ Jackie Nylander

ITA Team Rankings (March 14 ranking)
 
69 SMU
 
ITA Team Rankings (March 7 ranking)
 
59 SMU
 
Women's Singles (March 7 ranking)
 
98 Hadley Doyle SMU
 
Women's Doubles (March 7 ranking)
 
28 Taylor Johnson/ Jackie Nylander SMU
 
ITA Team Rankings (February 28 ranking)
 
48 SMU
 
ITA Team Rankings (February 21 ranking)

44 SMU

Women's Singles (February 21 ranking)

89 Hadley Doyle SMU

Women's Doubles (February 21 ranking)

24 Taylor Johnson/Jackie Nylander SMU

Women's Singles (November 16 ranking)
 
113 Hadley Doyle SMU
 
Women's Doubles (November 16 ranking)
 
32 Taylor Johnson/Jackie Nylander SMU
 
38 Winslow Huth/Lana Mavor SMU