USC Sumter Tennis Impresses at ITA Regionals in Jasper, Alabama

Jasper, AL — The USC Sumter Fire Ants men's and women's tennis teams delivered historic performances over the past two weeks at the ITA Regionals, held in Jasper, Alabama. On the women's side, Maia Warlies (Venezuela, transfer from Francis Marion University) and Mila Salazar (Ecuador) made program history by reaching the ITA Regionals Doubles Final, finishing as runners-up to a tough Wallace State pair. This marks the first time in USC Sumter history that a women's doubles team has reached the final round of the ITA Regionals. In singles play, both Warlies and Pawarada Thaimuangphol (Thailand) advanced to the semifinals, showcasing elite individual talent. In doubles, Pawarada Thaimuangphol and Pawarapa Thaimuangphol (Thailand) reached the quarterfinals, while Dana Espinoza (Ecuador), Salazar, and Thaimuangphol all advanced to the round of 16, further highlighting the depth of the women's roster. The men's team played September 19-21 and had an impressive showing. Aki Harada (Japan) seeded #4 reached the semifinals in singles, demonstrating resilience and skill throughout the tournament. Harada lost a tough 3 set match to #1 seeded Fernando Martinez Belinchon from Eastern Florida State. In doubles, Erdem Targut (Turkey) and Harada teamed up to reach the finals, capping off a strong campaign for the Fire Ants. Both teams now await potential at-large bids to the ITA Cup, scheduled for October 17–19, 2026, in Rome, Georgia. Final selections will be announced within the next two weeks. These performances continue USC Sumter's tradition of excellence in tennis, with both the men's and women's teams consistently qualifying for the NJCAA national tournament since 2016 and 2017, respectively.