WILMINGTON, Del. (October 18, 2026) – No. 2 seed Thomas Jefferson University edged No. 1 seed Queens (N.Y.) College, 4-3, in Sunday’s championship final to win the 2026 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Women’s Tennis Championship. The tournament was hosted by Wilmington University on Saturday and Sunday at Delcastle Tennis Center.
Jefferson (13-1) breaks through after having lost in the final to Wilmington in four of the last five years. The Rams win their first CACC women’s tennis title since 2008 and receive an automatic berth into the 2027 NCAA Division II East Regional Championship tournament. That event is scheduled for early May.
The Rams and Knights entered the day with identical 12-1 records, with each having only lost to the other. The match fit that billing. Jefferson sophomore Isabella Lazzerini was part of two key tiebreaker victories and junior teammate Kalomoira Ralli ultimately secured the championship with a three-set triumph at No. 4 singles.
Jefferson took the doubles point by the slimmest of margins. After the teams split at No. 1 and No. 3 by opposing 6-3 scores, the match at No. 2 came down to a tiebreak, from which Lazzerini and Sophia Babar emerged with a 10-8 win.
The first two singles matches went the Knights’ way, with victories by Vilte Vaitkeviciute at No. 6 and Lilie Bizouerne at No. 3. But after Alycia Veroux drew the Rams’ even in the match at No. 2, Lazzerini put her team on the brink of the championship, avoiding a third set by winning 6-0, 7-6 (7-4) at the fifth spot.
Meanwhile, the final two matches were already in a deciding set. Sixtine Goubet kept Queens’ hopes alive by earning a comeback 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 1. But shortly thereafter, Ralli wrapped up a 1 hour, 57-minute match at the fourth spot, holding off her opponent 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 to set off a Jefferson celebration.
Ralli, who was also part of a victory at No. 3 doubles and earned a singles win during Saturday’s semifinals, was selected as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Teammates Lazzerini, Anouk Oderkerk, and Madina Omarova joined Ralli on the All-Tournament Team. Queens’ Bizouerne and Goubet were All-Tournament honorees as well.
2026 CACC WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP
Semifinals (Saturday, Oct. 17, at Delcastle Tennis Center)
#1 Queens 4, #4 Chestnut Hill 1
#2 Jefferson 4, #3 Wilmington 1
Championship Final (Sunday, Oct. 18, at Delcastle Tennis Center)
Jefferson 4, Queens 3
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Lilie Bizouerne, Queens
Sixtine Goubet, Queens
Isabella Lazzerini, Jefferson
Anouk Oderkerk, Jefferson
Madina Omarova, Jefferson
Kalomoira Ralli, Jefferson
MVP: Kalomoira Ralli, Jefferson
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHOLAR AWARD
Lilian Bandel, Chestnut Hill
Founded in 1961, the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference has been affiliated with NCAA Division II for 21 years. Conference institutions compete for championships in 18 sports – seven for men, 10 for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 11 full members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.