Tuscaloosa, Ala. – The University of Findlay women's tennis team delivered a strong performance at the 2026 ITA DII Individual Championships, which are being played from Nov. 4–8 at the University of Alabama's Tennis Complex, highlighted by an impressive run to the national semifinals in doubles by junior Polina Zaytseva and sophomore Simone Cameron.

Unlike the spring dual-match format where team points decide the winner, the ITA Individual Championships serve as the premier gathering of Division II's top individual talent, pitting elite performers from across the nation in direct competition. Spots are earned through regional qualifying.

Doubles Main Event

Unseeded entering the 32-pair doubles draw, Zaytseva and Cameron put together an impressive streak against top national competition.

They opened the tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 4, with a straight-sets victory over Arkansas Tech's Elis Gergel and Rebecca Arnold. The duo carried that momentum into Thursday's Round of 16, sweeping past Victoria Trentino Garcia and Julia Wartecka of Nebraska-Kearney, 6-3, 6-1.

In Friday's quarterfinal round, the Oilers tandem faced their toughest challenge yet against eighth-seeded Camila Garcia Morales and Victoria Vieten of Midwestern State. Zaytseva and Cameron held firm in a tight first-set tiebreaker before closing out the match to secure a spot in the national final four.

Findlay's run came to an end in Saturday's semifinals against the tournament's top-seeded duo, Kristyna Hranacova and Katja Markus of Nova Southeastern, falling in a hard-fought battle, 6-3, 7-5.

Singles Action

Freshman Maria Depablos represented Findlay in the 32-player singles field. Facing Nova Southeastern's Jana Boegner in the opening round on Wednesday, Depablos captured the first set 6-4 before Boegner rallied back to force a tiebreaker and take the match. Depablos returned to the court Thursday morning in the Round of 16 against sixth-seeded Yona Bancarel of UT Tyler, dropping a 6-3, 6-1 decision.

Women's Open Singles

• Round of 32 (Wed, Nov 4):
  • Jana Boegner (Nova Southeastern) def. Maria Depablos (Findlay) 4-6, 6-2, [10-8] (Boegner won via RET [inj])
• Round of 16 (Thu, Nov 5):
  • [6] Yona Bancarel (UT Tyler) def. Maria Depablos (Findlay) 6-3, 6-1

Women's Open Doubles

• Round of 32 (Wed, Nov 4):
  • Polina Zaytseva / Simone Cameron (Findlay) def. Elis Gergel / Rebecca Arnold (Arkansas Tech) 7-1, 7-5 (Draw score: 1-6, 5-7)
• Round of 16 (Thu, Nov 5):
  • Polina Zaytseva / Simone Cameron (Findlay) def. Victoria Trentino Garcia / Julia Wartecka (Nebraska-Kearney) 6-3, 6-1 (Draw score: 3-1, 1-6)
• Quarterfinals (Fri, Nov 6):
  • Polina Zaytseva / Simone Cameron (Findlay) def. [8] Camila Garcia Morales / Victoria Vieten (Midwestern State) 7-6, 5-2 (Draw score: 2-6, 2-5)
• Semifinals (Sat, Nov 7):
  • [1] Kristyna Hranacova / Katja Markus (Nova Southeastern) def. Polina Zaytseva / Simone Cameron (Findlay) 6-3, 7-5