LAKELAND, Fla. — Mississippi Christian University men's and women's tennis delivered a championship-filled performance at the 2026 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) South Regional Championships, capturing two regional titles, earning a women's doubles runner-up finish and placing multiple competitors among the region's top performers.

Hosted by Florida Southern College from Oct. 16-19 in Lakeland, Florida, the tournament featured singles and doubles competition among NCAA Division II programs from across the South Region.

The Choctaws were led by Emily Buchanan, who captured the women's singles championship and teamed with Ann Cabot Stockett to reach the women's doubles final. On the men's side, Joshua Hinton and Charles Lefort claimed the doubles championship after an impressive five-match run through the regional bracket.

Mississippi Christian also placed Katharina Weber and Klara Podskubkova in the women's doubles semifinals, while Alejandro Vizoso Ansedes advanced to the men's singles quarterfinals.

The results marked a memorable weekend for both programs, with MC producing two regional champions, a doubles runner-up and additional deep tournament runs against some of the South Region's top competition.

Buchanan Captures Women's Singles Championship

Buchanan delivered a dominant performance throughout the women's singles main draw, completing an undefeated tournament run to capture the ITA South Regional championship.

Entering the tournament as the No. 2 seed, Buchanan advanced through the bracket without dropping a set, culminating in a straight-set victory over Luca Bohlen in Monday's championship match.

In the round of 32, Buchanan defeated Aliyah Dwyer, 7-5, 6-1, to advance into the final 16.

She followed with a hard-fought victory over ninth-seeded Jenaila Prulla, winning 6-3, 7-6 (8-6), to secure a quarterfinal appearance.

Buchanan continued her championship pursuit against fifth-seeded Rima Yoshida, earning a 7-5, 6-2 victory to move into the semifinals.

Facing Jana Boegner with a spot in the championship on the line, Buchanan delivered one of her strongest performances of the tournament, rolling to a 6-3, 6-0 victory.

The win set up a championship meeting with Bohlen, who had advanced through the opposite side of the draw.

Buchanan carried her momentum into Monday's final, defeating Bohlen, 6-4, 6-1, to secure the women's singles regional championship.

Her title-winning performance highlighted an exceptional tournament in which she reached championship matches in both singles and doubles.

Buchanan, Stockett Finish as Women's Doubles Runners-Up

Buchanan's success extended into doubles competition, where she partnered with Ann Cabot Stockett to reach the women's doubles championship match.

Competing as the tournament's No. 2 seed, Buchanan and Stockett put together an impressive run through the regional field, winning three consecutive matches to reach the final.

The MC tandem opened its tournament with an 8-3 victory over Maria Theodora Stancescu and Alexandra Petric in the round of 16.

In the quarterfinals, Buchanan and Stockett faced Daniela Fernandez Junquera and Benedetta Sensi, earning an 8-6 victory to secure a place among the tournament's final four doubles teams.

Their semifinal matchup proved to be one of the closest contests of the weekend.

Facing third-seeded Viktoriia Dema and Sofiia Nagornaia, Buchanan and Stockett battled through a tightly contested match before claiming an 8-7 (8-6) victory to advance to the regional championship.

In the final, the Choctaw duo squared off against top-seeded Kristyna Hranacova and Katja Markus.

Buchanan and Stockett dropped the opening set, 4-6, but responded with a 6-2 victory in the second to force a deciding 10-point match tiebreaker.

Hranacova and Markus ultimately prevailed in the tiebreaker, 10-2, securing the championship and leaving Buchanan and Stockett with a regional runner-up finish.

The championship appearance completed an outstanding tournament for the MC pairing and gave Buchanan her second appearance in a regional final during the four-day event.

Weber, Podskubkova Advance to Women's Doubles Semifinals

Mississippi Christian's women's doubles success extended beyond its championship finalists, as Katharina Weber and Klara Podskubkova also put together an impressive run to the semifinals.

Competing as the tournament's No. 5 seed, Weber and Podskubkova opened their main-draw competition with an 8-3 victory over Amina Abdullaeva and Paloma Goldsmith Weinreich in the round of 16.

The Choctaw duo continued its strong play in the quarterfinals, defeating Luca Bohlen and Jana Boegner, 8-5, to advance into the final four.

Their semifinal appearance set up a meeting with top-seeded Kristyna Hranacova and Katja Markus, who would go on to capture the regional championship.

Weber and Podskubkova saw their tournament run conclude with an 8-2 setback against the eventual champions.

Despite the loss, their advancement to the semifinals marked another significant accomplishment for Mississippi Christian's women's program.

With Buchanan and Stockett reaching the championship match and Weber and Podskubkova advancing to the semifinals, the Choctaws placed two women's doubles teams among the final four in the regional tournament.

The performances further highlighted MC's depth in doubles competition and complemented Buchanan's individual singles championship.

Munoz Adds to Women's Singles Success

Mississippi Christian also received a strong singles performance from Mariana Munoz, who advanced to the round of 16.

Munoz earned a competitive opening victory over Ivana Castillo Hurtado, winning 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), to advance through the round of 32.

Her tournament continued with a matchup against third-seeded Viktoriia Dema in the round of 16.

Dema ended Munoz's run with a 6-1, 6-2 victory.

Weber also represented the Choctaws in women's singles competition, adding to MC's participation across the regional draws.

Together, Buchanan's championship, Munoz's singles victory and the performances of MC's doubles combinations highlighted a successful tournament for the women's program.

Hinton, Lefort Claim Men's Doubles Championship

Mississippi Christian's men's program delivered one of the tournament's biggest performances as Joshua Hinton and Charles Lefort captured the ITA South Regional men's doubles championship.

The Choctaw tandem won five consecutive matches, including victories over multiple seeded opponents, to finish atop the regional doubles field.

Hinton and Lefort opened competition in the round of 32 against second-seeded Pete Tran and Noe Milliard of Rollins College.

The MC pairing prevailed in a closely contested match, winning 8-7 (8-6), to advance into the round of 16.

They followed with an 8-5 victory over Roberto Leal and Oliver Wilcox of Lee University, earning a spot in the quarterfinals.

Facing fifth-seeded Kodai Kato and Shay Sarfati of Saint Leo University, Hinton and Lefort continued their impressive run with another 8-5 victory to secure a semifinal appearance.

The semifinal round featured another competitive matchup against fifth-seeded Agustin Mastri and Ilhan Basar Senel.

Hinton and Lefort battled through a tightly contested match, ultimately prevailing 8-7 (7-4) to advance to the championship.

In the final, the MC duo faced fifth-seeded Matias Iturbe and Kuzma Gomziakov.

Hinton and Lefort captured the opening set, 7-5, before Iturbe and Gomziakov responded with a 7-6 (8-6) victory in the second.

With the regional championship on the line, the teams moved into a deciding 10-point match tiebreaker.

Hinton and Lefort rose to the occasion, winning the tiebreaker 10-8 to secure a 7-5, 6-7 (6-8), 10-8 championship victory.

The title capped an outstanding five-match run for the Choctaw pairing, which defeated several of the tournament's seeded combinations en route to the regional crown.

Their championship joined Buchanan's women's singles title as Mississippi Christian's two regional championships during the tournament.

Ruiz, Ricci Compete in Men's Doubles Main Draw

Mississippi Christian also received a strong performance from the top-seeded men's doubles pairing of Matias Ruiz and Mattia Ricci.

Ruiz and Ricci opened tournament competition against Guillermo Vedia Sanchez and Tim Daniel Stemler of Auburn University at Montgomery.

The MC tandem earned an 8-5 victory to advance into the round of 16.

Their tournament continued against Johan van Wijk and Joris Clermonts of Lee University, who had advanced through the opening round with a victory over Embry-Riddle.

Van Wijk and Clermonts earned an 8-5 victory over Ruiz and Ricci, ending the Choctaw pairing's run in the round of 16.

The two men's doubles combinations gave Mississippi Christian representation in the main draw, highlighted by Hinton and Lefort's championship performance.

Vizoso Ansedes Reaches Men's Singles Quarterfinals

Alejandro Vizoso Ansedes led Mississippi Christian's men's singles performances, advancing to the quarterfinals after winning three consecutive matches.

Entering the tournament as a No. 9 seed, Vizoso Ansedes opened competition with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Stefan Mos of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

The MC standout followed with a competitive three-set victory over Yassin Elaroussy in the round of 32.

Vizoso Ansedes captured the opening set, 6-4, before dropping the second, 5-7. He responded in the deciding match tiebreaker, winning 10-2 to secure his place in the round of 16.

Facing Benjamin Meyers, Vizoso Ansedes delivered one of his strongest performances of the weekend, cruising to a 6-1, 6-1 victory.

The win advanced him into the tournament's final eight and set up a quarterfinal meeting with third-seeded Marc Mail.

Mail ended Vizoso Ansedes' tournament run with a 6-1, 6-2 victory.

Despite the quarterfinal setback, Vizoso Ansedes finished the tournament with three singles victories and one of Mississippi Christian's deepest men's singles runs.

Additional Choctaws Earn Men's Singles Victories

Mississippi Christian also received opening-round victories from Matias Ruiz, Julius Tan and Florian Walcher in the men's singles main draw.

Ruiz, the tournament's No. 5 seed, opened with a commanding performance against Mehmet Onur Turgut of Florida Southern College.

The MC standout controlled the match from start to finish, earning a 6-2, 6-0 victory to advance into the round of 32.

Ruiz's tournament concluded in the next round against Hugo Papet of Barry University, who earned a 6-4, 6-2 victory.

Tan also opened tournament play with a straight-set victory, defeating Harry McDonagh of Auburn Montgomery, 6-4, 6-2.

Walcher, competing as a No. 9 seed, produced a three-set victory over Emile Delporte of Valdosta State.

After dropping the opening set, 4-6, Walcher responded with a 6-3 victory in the second before claiming the deciding match tiebreaker, 10-7.

Mattia Ricci and Sergio Ramirez Ocana also competed in the men's singles main draw.

Ricci faced Ilhan Basar Senel of Barry University in the opening round. After falling 2-6 in the first set, Ricci responded with a 6-2 victory in the second before dropping the deciding match tiebreaker, 10-8.

Ramirez Ocana faced second-seeded Robert Watzka of Lynn University in his opening match, falling 6-1, 6-4.

The performances provided additional highlights for Mississippi Christian's men's program, which concluded the tournament with a doubles championship, a singles quarterfinalist and multiple individual victories.

Mississippi Christian Concludes Memorable Regional Championships

Mississippi Christian's four-day appearance at the ITA South Regional Championships was highlighted by championship performances across both programs and strong representation throughout the singles and doubles draws.

Buchanan captured the women's singles championship and added a runner-up finish alongside Stockett in women's doubles.

Hinton and Lefort secured the men's doubles regional title, completing a five-match championship run against some of the region's top combinations.

Weber and Podskubkova advanced to the women's doubles semifinals, giving the Choctaws two women's doubles pairings among the tournament's final four.

On the men's singles side, Vizoso Ansedes reached the quarterfinals, while Ruiz, Tan and Walcher each earned opening-round victories.

The tournament provided another opportunity for Mississippi Christian to compete against some of NCAA Division II's strongest programs, with the Choctaws producing notable results throughout the weekend.

With two regional championships, a doubles runner-up finish and several deep tournament appearances, Mississippi Christian men's and women's tennis concluded a memorable weekend in Lakeland.

Official tournament results: ITA South Regional Championships Draws