Buckeyes Earn ITA Preseason Rankings
8/26/2026 5:14:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Perry, Chavez and Perry/Johnson all ranked in the top four
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In the preseason rankings released by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, five Buckeyes are ranked in singles, while four doubles teams - comprised of eight players - are in the rankings.Â
Ohio State is the only program in the nation to have both a singles player (with two - Luciana Perry and Teah Chavez) and a doubles team (Perry/Flora Johnson) in the top four and the Buckeyes and NC State are the only programs with both a singles player and a doubles team in the top 10. The Buckeyes are also the only program with two players in the Top 10 singles rankings. Perry is the only player in the nation with a top three ranking in singles and doubles.Â
In singles, Perry is ranked third, with Chavez fourth. Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev is No. 37, Nao Nishino is No. 39 and Audrey Spencer is No. 115. In doubles, Â Johnson and Perry are ranked third. Cisse-Ignatiev and Spencer are No. 28, Alessia Cau and Nishino are No. 44 and Chavez and Hephzibah Oluwadare are No. 69.
Perry, who started last year ranked fifth in the preseason, ended 2025-26 ranked fourth and she matches her career best ranking set Feb. 4 and March 3. She has been in the Top 10 since the end of Fall 2024.
Chavez has been in the top five since she was a personal-best No. 2 Feb. 19. She began last season No. 11 in the preseason and remained in the top five from Feb. 29 through the end of the season.Â
Perry and Chavez are two of four Buckeyes to earn a ranking in the top five all-time, joining Francesca Di Lorenzo and Irina Cantos Siemers.Perry joins Di Lorenzo as the only Buckeyes to earn top three rankings in both singles and doubles during a career.Â
Johnson and Perry ended the 2026 campaign ranked a season-best eighth as a duo. They are one of three Buckeye duos to earn a top three ranking, joining Miho Kowase and Anna Sanford and Di Lorenzo and Kowase.Â
Cisse-Ignatiev is a personal best No. 37 after ending last year a then career best No. 68. Nishino is at her personal best at No. 39, bettering the No. 44 from Feb. 19. Spencer was ranked for much of last season and her personal best ranking is No. 46 set Dec. 3, 2024.Â
Cisse-Ignatiev and Spencer are ranked as a tandem for the first time, as are Cau and Nishino. Chavez and Oluwadare entered the rankings at No. 13 Feb. 4, their best as a duo, and were No. 34 to end last season.Â
Ohio State is the only program in the nation to have both a singles player (with two - Luciana Perry and Teah Chavez) and a doubles team (Perry/Flora Johnson) in the top four and the Buckeyes and NC State are the only programs with both a singles player and a doubles team in the top 10. The Buckeyes are also the only program with two players in the Top 10 singles rankings. Perry is the only player in the nation with a top three ranking in singles and doubles.Â
In singles, Perry is ranked third, with Chavez fourth. Sophia Cisse-Ignatiev is No. 37, Nao Nishino is No. 39 and Audrey Spencer is No. 115. In doubles, Â Johnson and Perry are ranked third. Cisse-Ignatiev and Spencer are No. 28, Alessia Cau and Nishino are No. 44 and Chavez and Hephzibah Oluwadare are No. 69.
Perry, who started last year ranked fifth in the preseason, ended 2025-26 ranked fourth and she matches her career best ranking set Feb. 4 and March 3. She has been in the Top 10 since the end of Fall 2024.
Chavez has been in the top five since she was a personal-best No. 2 Feb. 19. She began last season No. 11 in the preseason and remained in the top five from Feb. 29 through the end of the season.Â
Perry and Chavez are two of four Buckeyes to earn a ranking in the top five all-time, joining Francesca Di Lorenzo and Irina Cantos Siemers.Perry joins Di Lorenzo as the only Buckeyes to earn top three rankings in both singles and doubles during a career.Â
Johnson and Perry ended the 2026 campaign ranked a season-best eighth as a duo. They are one of three Buckeye duos to earn a top three ranking, joining Miho Kowase and Anna Sanford and Di Lorenzo and Kowase.Â
Cisse-Ignatiev is a personal best No. 37 after ending last year a then career best No. 68. Nishino is at her personal best at No. 39, bettering the No. 44 from Feb. 19. Spencer was ranked for much of last season and her personal best ranking is No. 46 set Dec. 3, 2024.Â
Cisse-Ignatiev and Spencer are ranked as a tandem for the first time, as are Cau and Nishino. Chavez and Oluwadare entered the rankings at No. 13 Feb. 4, their best as a duo, and were No. 34 to end last season.Â
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
No videos available.
