BYU Women's Tennis Wins Five Singles at Thunderbird

The Cougars claimed five singles and one doubles match at the Thunderbird Invitational in Tempe, Arizona.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Tennis

BYU Women's Tennis Wins Five Singles at Thunderbird

BYU women's tennis won five singles matches and one doubles match at the Thunderbird Invitational, held in Tempe, Arizona, from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1. Sage Bergeson and Bella Lewis each won two singles matches and teamed up for a doubles win, while Allegra van der Walt added one singles victory.

Why it matters

The results give the Cougars momentum heading into the postseason, with Bergeson earning a spot in the NCAA Individual Championships after her ITA Regionals comeback. Several players will continue competing at the ITA Sectional Championships in Los Angeles.

Bergeson won her opening singles match 6-4, 6-1 on Thursday, and Van der Walt defeated Stella Beldiman 6-0, 6-3. Lewis took a three-set win over Claudia Sofia Martinez Solis 6-2, 5-7, 10-8.

The players

Sage Bergeson

Bergeson is a BYU women's tennis player who won two singles matches at the Thunderbird Invitational and qualified for the NCAA Individual Championships.

Bella Lewis

Lewis is a BYU women's tennis player who won two singles matches and a doubles match alongside Bergeson at the Thunderbird Invitational.

The details

The Thunderbird Invitational featured Arizona, Arizona State, Boise State, Grand Canyon, Northern Arizona, Michigan and SMU. BYU opened play Thursday, one day earlier than scheduled, because of forecast inclement weather, and rain canceled Friday's matches before play resumed Saturday at the Whiteman Tennis Center.

Oct. 2025: Bergeson's ITA Regionals comeback earned her an NCAA Individual Championships spot.
Oct. 29 to Nov. 1, 2026: Thunderbird Invitational held in Tempe, Arizona.
Nov. 5 to 8, 2026: ITA Sectional Championships in Los Angeles.

Season Trajectory

Bergeson's qualification for the NCAA Individual Championships through the ITA Regionals path shapes BYU's postseason outlook this fall. The Thunderbird results add to the squad's early-season depth as several players head to the ITA Sectional Championships.

Bergeson's NCAA Individual Championships berth means the Cougars will have a qualifier in the national field later this month. Fans following the team can track the ITA Sectional results in Los Angeles to see which doubles and singles entries advance.

The takeaway

The early-season results show how a single regional comeback can open a path to national competition. Following sectional results will show which BYU players carry that momentum forward.

What happens next

Several BYU players, including Cara Korhonen, Sue Yan Tan and Chelsea Bluestein, will compete at the ITA Sectional Championships in Los Angeles from Nov. 5 to 8, and Bergeson will compete at the NCAA Individual Championships later this month.