INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Gustavus first-year
Karina Elvestrom (Minnetonka, Minn.) and junior
Kaya De Bruijn (Maasland, Netherlands) have been selected to compete at the NCAA Individual Championships May 24-27 at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center in Claremont, Calif., hosted by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
The NCAA announced its selections Wednesday evening (May 7). Elvestrom was selected to compete in both the singles and doubles championships, joined by partner De Bruijn in doubles. The national individual appearance will be the first for both athletes, who shared the MIAC's Doubles Team of the Year award, announced just a day earlier.
The selection of teams and individuals for the championships is based on won-lost record, strength of schedule and eligibility and availability of student-athletes. A total of 32 individuals, including Elvestrom, were chosen for singles competition, while 16 doubles pairs earned a spot in the bracket. The draw for the individual championship will be done by the women's tennis committee and will be released on May 23.
Elvestrom was chosen as the MIAC Rookie of the Year after playing at the No. 1 singles and doubles spot for the Gusties all season, compiling a 5-2 record in conference singles play and unblemished 9-0 record with De Bruijn at doubles. After claiming two All-America awards in her first weekend of collegiate tennis, Elvestrom earned a No. 14 national ranking for the majority of the season. She is 19-12 in all singles matches this season, 13-9 in dual play, and 2-4 against regionally-ranked players.
She and De Bruijn compiled the best doubles record in the conference, going a perfect 9-0 against MIAC opponents. After earning Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-American honors in the fall, the duo, in their first season playing together, were ranked as high as No. 12 in the country and posted a 23-7 overall record. They are 17-5 in dual play, 7-4 against regionally-ranked opponents, and have won nine of their last 10 completed matches heading into the national tournament. In addition to their major awards, Elvestrom and De Bruijn were both selected as All-Conference singles and doubles.
The Gusties jumped to their highest national team ranking of the season in the ITA's latest polling, entering national postseason play at No. 18. No.
The Gusties (26-7, 10-0 MIAC) begin NCAA tournament play at 10 a.m. Friday, May 9. The team travels to Chicago with a first-round bye, facing either No. 34 Hope (Mich.) or UW-Superior. The Gusties met both teams already this season, defeating Superior 7-0 on March 22 before a 5-2 win over Hope in round one of the annual Midwest Invite on April 4. Friday's winner will face the other half of the bracket, which features No. 1 UChicago, North Central (Ill.), and Coe (Iowa), for a Saturday regional championship.
