2025 NSAA State Girls Tennis Championships Preview
The NSAA state tennis championships get underway on Thursday at Lincoln’s Woods Tennis Center with the Class B tournament on Thursday and Friday, May 22 and 23. With the Memorial Day weekend off, the Class A meet will also be at Woods on Tuesday, May 27 and 28.
Matches begin at 9:00 AM each day, with championship matches at 1:00 on Friday and Wednesday. All first round matches are played in an 8-game pro set. Second round and quarterfinal matches play two six-game sets and if needed a 10-point super tiebreaker. The semifinals and finals move to best-of-3.
Matches at No. 1 singles and doubles are awarded four points/win and matches at No. 2 singles and doubles are awarded two points/win to determine team championships. Point values adjust down in the 3rd-8th place match tree.
While there is no district qualifying in tennis, the participants are seeded by a committee of coaches in each class. In Class A, 16 players/teams are seeded in each bracket by a five-member committee and in Class B, 12 are seeded by a three-member committee.
Up to date information on the championships can be found on the NSAA State Tennis Championship Central page.
Class A: East guns for third title in four years
Much like their powerful boys team in the fall, Lincoln East is an overwhelming favorite to repeat as the Class A state champions. It would be the third title in four years and seventh in school history for the Spartans if they complete a title run.
Sophomore Briana Rademacher brings a 35-2 record to the state meet and is the top seed in No. 1 singles. She won the No. 1 title last year with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Elkhorn South’s Rhana Kang in the finals. Kang (24-5) is back this year and the third seed behind Lincoln Southeast senior Corrine Barber (31-5).
Elkhorn South’s Alyssa Sherman (35-2) is the top seed at No. 2 doubles where she won last season over Omaha Westside’s Amina Adhima. East’s Stella Simpson (31-5) is the second seed, where she finished 8th last season. Adhima, who has played just 13 matches this year, is the fourth seed.
The Spartans add the top seed at No. 1 doubles and the second seed in No. 2 doubles to their deep lineup. At No. 1, Belinda Qiao and Kyler Garcia are 25-2, while seniors Stacia Jacobsen and Tatum Lewis are 29-3 at No. 2 doubles. Lincoln Southwest’s Sophie Johnson and Ellie Hain (19-2) are the top seed in the No. 2 bracket.
Lincoln East is the only team with top-3 seeds in all four brackets at state and they also won the state dual title on Monday as a final tuneup for the state meet.
BRACKETS: No. 1 Singles | No. 2 Singles | No. 1 Doubles | No. 2 Doubles
Class B: Elkhorn North faces tough test in journey for four in a row
After winning a third straight Class B girls tennis title last spring, Elkhorn North coach Lance Kush knew that the 2025 season would look a little different for his team. The Wolves graduated all four players on their doubles teams and three of those four were three-time Class B champions at their position.
But, even with a new look the Wolves have high expectations heading into the state tournament after winning the state dual tournament last weekend in Kearney.
“We knew we would have a pretty new team,” said Kush. “We lost all of our seniors. But, our junior varsity had a pretty successful year last year and we were trying to get them ready to compete this year. So we didn’t think the window was closed even though we lost some really important players.”
And, the cupboard wasn’t completely bare even though it now looks a little different.
Junior Aubrey Phonephakdy advanced to the finals in No. 1 singles last year and returns in that bracket once again as the two seed with a 30-3 record. Senior Sophia Jones won the No. 2 singles title last year, but has moved to No. 1 doubles this season and teamed with Alexis Wright for a 26-6 record and the seventh-seed in that bracket.
“What I really like about our team now is that even though we have some new players, we still have four seniors at those doubles positions,” Kush said. “So we still have some good experience going down to state.”
Gretna East garnered both top seeds in the singles brackets with freshman Zoe Katsavelis (33-0) at No. 1 and sophomore Agata Pacchiella (33-1) at No. 2. Kush had high praise for both players. “They are super strong at both of those positions,” he said.
Unbeaten McCook senior Brooklynn Gillen (38-0) advanced to last year’s final before losing to Jones and is back in the No. 2 singles bracket and seeded second. Gillen’s Bison could be one of five or six teams that have a chance at this year’s title as they also have the top seed at No. 1 doubles with seniors Isabelle Clause and Roslyn Wiemers who are 41-1 on the season.
At No. 2 doubles, Omaha Skutt’s Madilyn Eich and Rachel Gwinn (21-2) have the top seed with Omaha Duchesne the second seed.
“We think that the No. 2 doubles bracket is completely wide open,” Kush said. “There might be any one of seven teams that could win that bracket. And, the matchups can really determine what success you have, too.
“You have so many different teams this year that could win the team race,” he added. “Some teams who are really strong at one or two positions, but maybe not as deep and then you have other teams who are very deep, but maybe don’t have the top end strength.”
Besides his Wolves, Kush mentioned the top strength of Gretna East and McCook as title contenders. But, also felt the depth of teams like Omaha Skutt, Omaha Duchesne, and Grand Island Central Catholic could be in the title hunt come Friday afternoon.
“It’s very possible the state title is won in some of the 3rd, 5th and 7th place matches,” Kush said.
BRACKETS: No. 1 Singles | No. 2 Singles | No. 1 Doubles | No. 2 Doubles