University of North Carolina Athletics

Photo by: NATE SKVORETZ
Women’s Tennis Prepares For ITA Kick-Off
January 22, 2026 | Women's Tennis
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 3 University of North Carolina women's tennis is set to host and compete in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend this weekend at Chewning Tennis Center.
Due to a scheduling change, the Chapel Hill site will only feature three teams (UNC, Charlotte, and Columbia). Carolina heads into the weekend as the no. 1 seed at their respective site earning them a first-round bye. The Tar Heels are set to face the winner of Charlotte vs. Columbia on Saturday at 11 a.m.
ITA Kick-Off
ITA Kick-Off Weekend includes 56 teams at 14 sites competing for a spot at the National Indoor Championships this spring. The tournament is set to take place from Jan. 23-26. UNC women's tennis is one of 14 host sites on the women's side and will welcome Charlotte and Columbia to Chewning Tennis Center this weekend.
For full tournament information visit wearecollegetennis.com.
Tar Heel Tidbits
Due to a scheduling change, the Chapel Hill site will only feature three teams (UNC, Charlotte, and Columbia). Carolina heads into the weekend as the no. 1 seed at their respective site earning them a first-round bye. The Tar Heels are set to face the winner of Charlotte vs. Columbia on Saturday at 11 a.m.
ITA Kick-Off
ITA Kick-Off Weekend includes 56 teams at 14 sites competing for a spot at the National Indoor Championships this spring. The tournament is set to take place from Jan. 23-26. UNC women's tennis is one of 14 host sites on the women's side and will welcome Charlotte and Columbia to Chewning Tennis Center this weekend.
For full tournament information visit wearecollegetennis.com.
Tar Heel Tidbits
- Carolina ranked no. 3 for the second consecutive week in the ITA Team Rankings.
- Oby Kajuru was tabbed ACC Player of the Week on Jan. 20 for the first time since she joined the program. No. 23 Oby Kajuru defeated no. 5 Savannah Dada-Mascoll from App State for the first ranked singles win among the Tar Heels this season. The win helped the graduate earn the weekly honor from the league.
- The Tar Heels downed no. 14 Virginia, 6-1, for their first ranked win of the 2026 campaign.
- With the team's win over App State, head coach Brian Kalbas reached 800 career wins. Kalbas remains the winningest active coach in NCAA tennis and just the third all-time to reach 800 wins.
- Freshman Anna Frey has started her collegiate career 4-0 in singles and 2-0 in doubles matches with partner Tatum Evans.
- Partners Brantmeier/Hamilton and Kajuru/Maltby earned All-America honors in the fall after reaching the quarterfinals at the NCAA Individual Championships.
- Reese Brantmeier won the 2025 NCAA Singles National Championship and heads into the spring ranked no. 1 in singles.
- Brantmeier earned All-America honors in singles this fall making the senior eight-for-eight in All-America selections across her career.
- Five Tar Heels are featured in the ITA Singles Rankings (Brantmeier – 1, Kajuru – 23, Evans – 35, Rabman – 51, Hamilton – 69).
- Four doubles pairings are among the ITA Doubles Rankings (Kajuru/Maltby – 3, Brantmeier/Hamilton – 11, Rennard/Boyce – 42, Evans/Rabman – 49).
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