ELON – The Elon University women's tennis team returns to the courts this weekend for the first time since winning the CAA title in the spring, as the Phoenix hosts the Jimmy Powell Invitational on Friday and Saturday at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
Jimmy Powell Invitational Briefing
Tournament Details: Sept. 19-20, 2025 | Elon, N.C. | Jimmy Powell Tennis Center
Admission: Free
Tournament Information
- The tournament will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday with a round of doubles followed by a round of singles at 10 a.m. Play will conclude at 1:30 p.m. with a second round of singles.
- Saturday will feature two rounds of doubles with the first slated to start at 9 a.m. The final round of singles will begin at 12:30 p.m.
- Live scoring will not be available, but results will be provided at the conclusion of play each day.
- Other teams participating in the event include Liberty, Richmond, UNCG and Virginia Tech.
- The tournament is named in honor of the Powell family. In 1987, Dr. James Powell and his wife Anne, presented Elon University with a major challenge gift for the construction of an on-campus, 12-court, lighted tennis facility, the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
About The Phoenix
- Elon won its first ever CAA championship in the spring, winning the CAA Tournament at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center with a victory over two-time defending champion William & Mary in the final.
- The Phoenix earned the CAA's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and faced No. 10 Tennessee in the opening round. Elon finished the season with a 19-6 overall record, which included a 15-2 mark at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
- Simone Bergeron returns for her junior season after a breakout campaign in the spring that saw her take home CAA Women's Tennis Player of the Year. Bergeron went 12-9 playing No. 1 singles and clinched Elon's CAA title with her three-set victory against William & Mary. She also went 20-4 in doubles and earned First Team All-CAA recognition in both doubles and singles.
- Bergeron's primary doubles partner last season was Mariana Reding, who also earned First Team All-CAA honors in doubles. Reding, who returns this season as a junior, went 16-6 playing Nos. 2-4 singles and won 18 doubles contests alongside Bergeron in the spring.
- Senior Helen Sarikulaya also received All-CAA recognition in both singles (Third Team) and doubles (Second Team). She won 12 singles matches, eight of which came at the No. 2 spot, to go along with 13 victories in doubles.
- Lisa Kranec earned All-CAA Second Team recognition in doubles alongside Sarikulaya after tallying 12 wins. She also posted 17 singles victories in her freshman campaign, with 13 coming coming at the No. 6 spot.
- Also back for the Phoenix is Madison Cordisco, who finished second on the team last season with 17 singles triumphs. She went 14-4 at the No. 5 position.
- Elon welcomes three newcomers this season – Cornelia Kack, Alexis Nyborg and Nathalie Marinovitch.
- Kack joins the Phoenix after earning All-CAA Third Team honors in doubles last season as a freshman at Delaware. Nyborg comes to Elon following two successful seasons at UNC Asheville, where she earned All-Big South First Team honors in singles in 2025. Marinovitch, a native of Cochabama, Bolivia, is Elon's lone freshman.
- Elon is led by reigning CAA Coach of the Year Elizabeth Anderson, who is entering her 22nd season leading the Phoenix. She is joined by first-year assistant coach Allie Gretkowski, who played college tennis at South Carolina and Louisville.
Stay Posted
For further coverage of Elon women's tennis, follow the Phoenix on X (@ElonWTennis), Instagram (elonwtennis) and Facebook (Elon Women's Tennis).
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