COLUMBUS, Ohio — At the ITA All-American Championships in Cary, N.C., over the last week, Buckeye senior Luciana Perry claimed the singles title and was one of three Buckeyes to earn a berth into the NCAA Singles Championship, joined by Nao Nishino and Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev. Perry and Flora Johnson finished as the runner-up in doubles and earned a spot in the NCAA Doubles Championship.
Nishino was a singles semifinalist, while Cisse-Ignatiev reached the final of the consolation bracket after falling in the main draw Round of 16. In doubles, Audrey Spencer and Cisse-Ignatiev advanced to the consolation draw final after defeating their teammates Alessia Cau and Nishino in the semifinals.
Nishino was a singles semifinalist, while Cisse-Ignatiev reached the final of the consolation bracket after falling in the main draw Round of 16. In doubles, Audrey Spencer and Cisse-Ignatiev advanced to the consolation draw final after defeating their teammates Alessia Cau and Nishino in the semifinals.
The ITA All-American Championships were the first chance for players to earn a berth into this fall’s NCAA singles and doubles championships. Ten singles players (eight main draw quarterfinalists and two feed-in consolation finalists) and five doubles teams (four main draw semifinalists and the consolation champion) secured their spots. The NCAA Championships will be held Nov. 17-22 in Athens, Ga.
Perry Earns Title, All-America Honors
- The tournament’s No. 3 seed, Luciana Perry won six matches to earn the ITA All-Americans title. She is the second Buckeye, and first since Francesca Di Lorenzo in 2016, to end the tournament as the champion.
- As the tournament winner, Perry earns ITA All-America honors. She is the first Buckeye to earn singles All-America accolades four times and she also was named a doubles All-American last year.
- In her run to the title, Perry dropped just two sets – one in her first round match and one in the semifinals. In both, she came back to win after falling in the first set.
- Sunday, Perry rolled to the title, defeating Duke’s Mimi Xu, 6-2, 6-1.
Nishino, Cisse-Ignatiev Secure First NCAA Berths
- Junior Nao Nishino posted three consecutive straight-set victories to reach the semifinals. Ranked 39th, Nishino downed three seeded players (Nos. 13, 5, 4) during the tournament.
- Junior Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev, ranked 37th, claimed her first two matches, including a win over the No. 12 seed in the Round of 64. After dropping her Round of 16 match, Cisse-Ignatiev fell to the consolation draw looking to reach the final and secure her NCAA spot.
- In consolation action, Cisse-Ignatiev posted two wins in straight sets. Against UNC’s Tatum Evans, the No. 13 seed, in the semifinals, the Buckeye won 7-6 (5), 6-3, for the NCAA bid.
- Nishino will be making her second NCAA singles appearance, while Cisse-Ignatiev will compete for the first time.
- With two wins in qualifying, No. 115-ranked Audrey Spencer advanced to the main draw. Spencer lost her first round match in the main draw, followed by a win in consolation. Spencer dropped her next match to the tournament’s No. 11 seed.
The Buckeyes in Doubles
- In the 32-team doubles main draw, Flora Johnson and Luciana Perry, the No. 3 seed, won four matches, with three in a super tiebreak, to advance to the final.
- In the final, the Buckeyes fell to a team from Virginia, 6-0, 6-1.
- Johnson and Perry, who ended the 2026 season ranked eighth, will make their first NCAA appearance as a duo. Perry competed with Irina Cantos Siemers in 2024.
- The doubles tandem of Audrey Spencer and Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev, ranked 28th, dropped its opening match in the main draw to fall to the consolation bracket. The duo went on to win three matches, including in the semifinals over their teammates Alessia Cau and Nao Nishino, to reach the final and compete for an NCAA spot.
- In the final, the Buckeyes rallied to force a tiebreak, but lost to Virginia’s No. 33-ranked tandem, 4-6, 6-4, 10-4.
- Nishino and Cau, ranked 44th, opened the main draw with a loss before two consolation victories to reach the semifinals. The run ended with the loss to their Buckeye teammates.
The Schedule Ahead
Up next for the Buckeyes is the ITA Midwest Regional Championships, set for Oct. 8-12 in Champaign, Ill. Singles finalists and the doubles champion will earn a spot in the NCAA Championships.
