Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis versus ITA All-American Championships on September 17, 2026
W Tennis
vs ITA All-American Championships
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Wednesday, November 1
San Diego, Calif.
Grand Canyon
vs
ITA National Fall Championships
Photo by: Taylor Hansen
Duo becomes program's 1st ITA Fall National qualifiers
10/26/2023 4:23:00 PM | Women's Tennis
After great fall season, Puehse/Strombacha earns doubles spot in San Diego
For the first time in Grand Canyon women's tennis program history, the Lopes will be represented at the ITA Fall National Championships.
Seniors Natasha Puehse and Santa Strombacha earned an ITA Wild Card designation to compete in the 32-team doubles draw featuring the best players from around the country. The Lopes travel to the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego for the five-day tournament that starts Wednesday.
The ITA Fall National Championships are the grand finale to the fall collegiate tennis season and feature 64 of the nation's top collegiate singles players (32 men and 32 women) and 64 doubles teams (32 men's teams and 32 women's teams). The event is in its seventh year, having replaced the ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in 2017.
Puehse and Strombacha have had a historic fall season, winning the doubles championship at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic in August. In that event, the GCU duo defeated ranked opponents from Wisconsin and USC to capture the first ITA Gold Event title in program history.
The No. 1 GCU pair also captured the top doubles flight title at the SDSU Fall Classic at San Diego State. Puehse and Strombacha are 9-1 this fall and were named the WAC Doubles Players of the Month for September.
Last week at the ITA Southwest Regional, Puehse and Strombacha advanced to the quarterfinals with two wins. The GCU duo had an 8-4 win over Arizona and an 8-5 win over San Diego State.
Seniors Natasha Puehse and Santa Strombacha earned an ITA Wild Card designation to compete in the 32-team doubles draw featuring the best players from around the country. The Lopes travel to the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego for the five-day tournament that starts Wednesday.
The ITA Fall National Championships are the grand finale to the fall collegiate tennis season and feature 64 of the nation's top collegiate singles players (32 men and 32 women) and 64 doubles teams (32 men's teams and 32 women's teams). The event is in its seventh year, having replaced the ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in 2017.
Puehse and Strombacha have had a historic fall season, winning the doubles championship at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic in August. In that event, the GCU duo defeated ranked opponents from Wisconsin and USC to capture the first ITA Gold Event title in program history.
The No. 1 GCU pair also captured the top doubles flight title at the SDSU Fall Classic at San Diego State. Puehse and Strombacha are 9-1 this fall and were named the WAC Doubles Players of the Month for September.
Last week at the ITA Southwest Regional, Puehse and Strombacha advanced to the quarterfinals with two wins. The GCU duo had an 8-4 win over Arizona and an 8-5 win over San Diego State.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Thursday, April 23
Monday, April 21