MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A trip to Montgomery, Alabama is on the horizon for Bethune-Cookman Women's Tennis as the Wildcats travel to Alabama State for the second Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Pod event of the 2025 spring season taking place March 28-30. Before the SWAC Pod, B-CU takes on Alabama State on Thursday, March 27 at noon ET (11 a.m. CT).
 
The SWAC Pod #2 event will be housed at Olean Black Underwood Tennis Center on the campus of Alabama State, as well as The Fields at 17 Springs in nearby Millbrook, Alabama.
 
B-CU will take on Jackson State (March 28), Mississippi Valley State (March 29) and Grambling State (March 30) as opponents on the weekend following the match against Alabama State.
 
SCOUTING ALABAMA STATE
Under the guise of Head Coach Anuk Christiansz, Alabama State holds a record of 6-7 overall and a 3-1 mark in the SWAC. The Hornets have wins over league foes from Florida A&M, Alabama A&M and Alcorn State, respectively. Their lone league loss came to Jackson State back on March 10.
 
The Hornets use Diana Craciun at the No. 1 singles position, while Cleanne Pickel has a 6-2 record at the No. 4 spot. Carmelle Vial is 5-8 in singles at the No. 3 position. In doubles play, it's the tandem of Ena Arnautovic and Pickel leading the charge with a 3-4 mark in the top flight.
 
RECAPPING SWAC POD #1
Weather cancelled Bethune-Cookman's last match in the SWAC Pod #1 event, as a makeup date for B-CU versus Alabama A&M has not yet been announced.
 
In the pod overall, the Maroon and Gold took a record of 0-2 on the weekend as the event was hosted by Jackson State in Mississippi. B-CU fell 4-1 to Alcorn State in the opener, while later suffering a tough 4-0 setback to Prairie View A&M on the second day.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR B-CU (vs. Southern University)
Bethune-Cookman Women's Tennis finished off a week in which the Wildcats played two matches in 72 hours, dropping a SWAC match to visiting Southern University by a 4-0 score line at Derbyshire Park in Daytona Beach.
 
Southern University stepped ahead early on with the doubles point victory.
 
The Jaguars duo of Paris Washington and Kai Wince defeated the Bethune-Cookman team of Zahara El-Zein and Keona Burley with a 6-1 win at No. 2 doubles. Southern's Baluck Deang and Shahd Habib also claimed the No. 3 doubles position, thus giving the Jaguars the 1-0 advantage in the match heading into singles play. The No. 1 doubles match featuring Jalayah Shaw and Allexii Bassette of Bethune-Cookman against Jessica Hess and Tshegofatso Tsiang of Southern went unfinished.
 
In singles play, Southern (La.) collected positions four through six for the eventual match win.
 
Kai Wince defeated Bethune-Cookman's Keona Burley 6-1, 6-1 at No. 4 singles, while Shahd Habib recorded a straight-set 6-0, 6-0 victory over Lesa Snipes-Williams at the No. 5 spot. Southern was also awarded the victory at No. 6 singles, with the Jaguars LaTesha Grant collecting the win, respectfully. The remaining singles matches were left unfinished after Southern clinched the team victory. Bethune-Cookman's Jalayah Shaw was trailing Paris Washington 1-6, 4-0 at No. 1 singles. At No. 2 singles, Zahara El-Zein was behind Jessica Hess 2-6, 3-1, while Allexii Bassette was down against Tshegofatso Tsiang 3-6, 2-3 at No. 3 singles
 
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