BOULDER—Add yet another “first since” for the Colorado Buffaloes women’s tennis team.
The Buffs earned a final ranking of No. 61 in the nation in the final ITA poll of the season, marking the first time the Buffs showed up in the final poll of the season in 13 years and earning the highest ranking in that poll in 14 years.
The Mountain Region rankings were also released, and the Buffs earned the No. 4 ranking in the mountain region as a team with Antonia Balzert earning a final ranking of No. 9 in the Mountain Region with Aya El Sayed coming in at No. 12 in singles action. That duo also played doubles together and finished as the No. 8 doubles pair in the region.
In the national rankings, it marks the 12th time the program has earned a spot in the final rankings and first since a No. 72 ranking in the final poll in 2009-10. It matches the ranking from the previous season of No. 61 in 2008-09 and the last time the Buffs had a higher final ranking was No. 58 in 2007-08.
In the regional ranking, the Buffs were tied for third in 2020-21 while Balzert finished ranked No. 7 in the region a season ago.
Balzert and El Sayed both had solid seasons for the Buffaloes, with Balzert earning second-team All-Pac-12 honors and El Sayed earning honorable mention on the team. Balzert was named the Most Improved Senior in the Mountain Region from the ITA, as well.
Balzert won 17 singles and 14 doubles matches for the Buffaloes and played No. 1 singles while teaming with El Sayed at No. 1 doubles. El Sayed primarily played at No. 4 singles, posting a 14-2 dual match record for the season, the second-best winning percentage in CU history in dual matches. She won 12 straight matches, going undefeated in February, March and April and was a perfect 5-0 in Pac-12 matches.
Balzert finished her CU career with 50 singles wins, 34th in CU history, and 85 overall wins. She won 14 matches at No. 1 singles, 12th most in CU history and she racked up 39 wins at the Nos. 1 or 2 positions in singles and doubles dual matches.
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