ATLANTA, Ga.- Jackson State women's tennis team capped off a great showing at the 24th annual HBCU National Championships by being crowned National Champions, while both men's and women's teams collected several awards. Among the highlights, Isabella Benavides and Paula Corbalan each won first place in their respective singles draws.

Benavides won five matches en route to her title, with the final win coming against fellow Lady Tiger, Polina Georgieva, in flight C. Corbalan claimed her title after winning four matches in flight A. She also faced a teammate in the final round, Victoria Linkovski.

In doubles competition, the team of Linkovski and Tiara Alvarez was named doubles finalists in flight A, while Daniella Tovar and Mariia Iordanova advanced all the way to the finals of flight B before falling to Selah Stibbins and Lauren Oliver from Howard.

On the men's side, Jhoan Vaquero had the best showing in singles competition, advancing to the semifinals in the main draw and winning third place overall.

Senior Federico Pickenstainer and newcomer Hung-Yu Chen were finalists in the doubles competition, coming just short in the final round of flight B.

HBCU National Tennis Championships 
South Fulton Tennis Center, Atlanta, Ga. 
Sept. 18-21, 2025 

Men's Flight A Singles - Main Draw 
R16 - Arnav Pathange (AAMU) def. Federico Pickenstainer (JSU): 6-1, 7-6
R32 - Federico Pickenstainer (JSU) def. Kareem Hakim (NCCU): 6-4, 6-1 
R32 - Ivan Vazquez (XULA) def. Ching Chang Chiu (JSU): 6-1, 6-2 

Men's Flight B Singles - Main Draw 
SF - Rodrigo Alves (NCCU) def. Jhoan Vaquero (JSU): 7-6, 6-0 
QF - Jhoan Vaquero (JSU) def.Marcus Weekes (Howard): 6-0, 4-6 [10-3]
R16 - Jhoan Vaquero (JSU) def. Vincent Llobell Buigues (Alcorn): 4-6, 6-3 [10-4]
R32 - Gabriel Velez (XULA) def. Hung-Yu Chen (JSU): 6-2, 6-4

Men's Flight B Singles - Playoff 3-4
PL Final - Jhoan Vaquero (JSU) def. Chris Bogelin (TSU) 

Men's Flight C Singles - Main Draw
QF - Emmanuel Jebutu (XULA) def.  Alejandro Pinilla (JSU): 6-3, 6-3
R16 - Alejandro Pinilla (JSU) def. Lebogang Mashego (AAMU): 6-0, 6-2
R16 - Alex Adamec (TSU) def. Gokalp Ayar (JSU): 7-6, 6-2
R32 - Alejandro Pinilla (JSU) def. Skye Glasgow (Rust): 6-0, 6-0
R32 - Gokalp Ayar (JSU) def. Tomas Grime (Alcorn): 6-1, 6-4
R32 - Antoni Pankowski (NCCU) def. Fabrizio Fallas (JSU): 4-6, 6-1 [10-7]

Men's Flight B Doubles - Main Draw 
F - Antoni Pankowski & Naresh Bharathy Mithran (NCCU) def. Federico Pickenstainer & Hung-Yu Chen (JSU): 6-4 
SF - Federico Pickenstainer & Hung-Yu Chen (JSU) def. Matteo Lataste & Martin Catrice (ASU ): 7-6
QF- Federico Pickenstainer & Hung-Yu Chen (JSU) def. Kendrick Lash & Marcus Weekes (Howard): 6-0
R16 - Federico Pickenstainer & Hung-Yu Chen (JSU) def. Matthew Holl & Tomas Grime (Alcorn): 7-6
R32 - Federico Pickenstainer & Hung-Yu Chen (JSU) def. Emmanuel Jebutu & Samy Dahmany (XULA): 6-1

Women's Flight A Singles - Main Draw
F - Paula Corbalan (JSU) def. Victoria Linkovski (JSU): 6-0, 6-3
SF - Paula Corbalan (JSU) def. Franchesca Brown (Howard): 5-7, 6-4 [10-3] 
SF - Victoria Linkovski (JSU) def. Ana Sabikova (XULA ): 6-3, 6-0 
QF - Victoria Linkovski (JSU) def. Kesmat El Tawil (ASU): 6-3, 2-6 [10-8]
QF - Paula Corbalan (JSU) def. Sydney Brantley (FAMU): 6-4, 7-5 
R16 - Victoria Linkovski (JSU) def. Natalija Nikolic (Alcorn): 6-0, 6-1
R16 - Paula Corbalan (JSU) def. Maja Brnic (XULA): 6-0, 3-6 [10-8] 

Women's Flight B Singles - Main Draw 
QF - Alicia Owegi (AAMU) def. Helen Hernandez (JSU): 6-3, 7-5 
R16 - Helen Hernandez (JSU) def. Anais Yakan (XULA): 1-6, 6-4 [10-4]
R32 - Helen Hernandez (JSU) def. Jonay Brittain (CAU): 6-3, 6-4 
R32 - Cleanne Pickel (ASU) def. Tiara Alvarez (JSU): 6-2, 6-3

Women's Flight C Singles - Main Draw 
F - Isabella Benavides (JSU) def. Polina Georgieva (JSU): 7-5, 6-0 
SF - Isabella Benavides (JSU) def. Mariia Iordanova (JSU): 6-3, 6-2
SF - Polina Georgieva (JSU) def. Daniela Tovar (JSU): 7-6, 6-3
QF - Mariia Iordanova (JSU) def. Aleynah Thomas (FAMU): 6-2, 6-4
QF - Isabella Benavides (JSU) def. Jovana Petovic (ASU): 6-1, 6-4
QF - Polina Georgirva (JSU) def. Naomi Blanks (AAMU) : 6-3, 6-2
QF - Daniela Tovar (JSU) def. Selah Stibbins (Howard): 3-6, 7-6 [10-6]
R16 - Daniela Tovar (JSU) def. Luiza Eidelvein (FAMU): 3-6, 6-4 [11-9]
R16 - Polina Georgieva (JSU) def. Syanne Tyson (CAU): 1-6, 6-3 [10 -2]
R16 - Isabella Benavides (JSU) def. Amber Beautelus (FAMU): 6-2, 6-0 
R16 - Mariia Iordanova (JSU) def. Lauren Oliver (Howard): 6-3, 3-6 [10,6] 
R32 - Daniela Tovar (JSU) def. Lavynia Sa (AAMU): 2-6, 7-5 [10-6]
R32 - Polina Georgieva (JSU) def. Isabella Disibbio (Bluefield): 6-0, 6-0
R32 - Isabella Benavides (JSU) def. Taylor Ellis (TSU): 6-1, 6-1
R32 - Mariia Irodanova (JSU) def. Nyla Ferdinand (XULA): 6-4, 6-3

Women's Flight A Doubles - Main Draw
F - Diana Craciun & Melisa Mekic (ASU) def. Victoria Linkovski & Helen Hernandez (JSU): 7-5
SF - Victoria Linkovski & Helen Hernandez (JSU) def. Franchesca Brown & Dana Hall (Howard): 6-4
QF - Victoria Linkovski & Helen Hernandez (JSU) def. Gabrielle Pierce & Reagan Harris (FAMU): 6-2
R16 - Victoria Linkovski & Helen Hernandez (JSU) def. Alicia Owegi & Nardine Salem (AAMU): 7-6
R16- McKenna Wheatley & Ana Sabikova (XULA) def. Paula Corbalan & Tiara Alvarez (JSU): 6-3

Women's Flight B Doubles - Main Draw
F - Selah Stibbins & Lauren Oliver (Howard) def. Marria Iordanova & Daniela Tovar (JSU): 6-2
SF - Marria Iordanova & Daniela Tovar (JSU) def. Amelia Tatafu & Taylor Briffa (Alcorn): 6-0
QF - Marria Iordanova & Daniela Tovar (JSU) def. Maja Brnic & Sanai LeSure (XULA): 6-0
R16 - Marria Iordanova & Daniela Tovar (JSU) def. Jovana Petrovic & Matea Andelic (ASU): 6-2
R16- Naomi Blanks & Lavynia Sa (AAMU) def. Isabella Benavides & Polina Georgieva(JSU): 6-4

About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.

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