Anastasia Abbagnato Named SEC Women’s Tennis Freshman of the Week After Dominant Stretch
Texas women’s tennis just got a major boost of recognition, and it comes in the form of freshman Anastasia Abbagnato. The SEC named Abbagnato its Women’s Tennis Freshman of the Week, and if you’ve been following the Longhorns lately, it’s easy to see why.
Abbagnato didn’t just win matches-she made statements. Over the past week, she put together a 5-1 combined record across singles and doubles play, with four of those wins coming against ranked opponents.
That kind of production isn’t just impressive-it’s impactful. Her performances helped steer Texas to a pair of top-12 victories, taking down No.
12 Vanderbilt 4-1 and edging out No. 10 Duke 4-3 at the ITA National Indoor Championships.
Even in a narrow 4-3 loss to No. 6 Oklahoma, Abbagnato’s level of play stood out.
Let’s break down the numbers. All three of her singles wins came at the No. 2 spot, and each one came against a ranked player.
She opened with a straight-sets win over Oklahoma’s No. 12 Julia Garcia Ruiz (6-4, 6-2), showing poise and control against one of the top players in the nation.
Then came a gritty, come-from-behind effort against Vanderbilt’s No. 40 Bridget Stammel.
Abbagnato dropped the first set but clawed her way back to win 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(4)-and that win didn’t just pad her resume; it clinched the match for Texas.
Against Duke, she faced No. 120 Liv Hovde in another three-set battle.
Abbagnato came out on top 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3, and that victory gave the Longhorns their first lead of the match, swinging momentum at a crucial moment. Her ability to deliver in high-pressure situations is already becoming a trademark.
And while her singles play has turned heads, don’t overlook her contributions in doubles. She picked up another ranked win there, rounding out a week that firmly established her as one of the top young talents in the SEC-and in the country.
Abbagnato’s emergence is more than just a bright spot for Texas-it’s becoming a cornerstone. With her at the No. 2 spot, the Longhorns now have a reliable weapon who can go toe-to-toe with top-tier competition and come out on top. That’s the kind of depth that wins championships.
If this is what Abbagnato is doing as a freshman, it’s hard not to get excited about what’s ahead. For now, though, she’s earning her stripes one ranked win at a time-and the SEC is officially taking notice.