VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's and women's tennis teams return to Pensacola, Fla., for three matches this weekend versus Gulf South Conference foes.  The Blazers play at West Florida on Friday at 12 p.m. ET, followed by a 3 p.m. ET matches versus West Alabama on Saturday and 10 a.m. ET matches against Christian Brothers on Sunday.  
 
On the women's side, the Blazers enter 17^th nationally with an 8-5 record overall and a 4-1 mark in GSC play.  Blazer sophomore Ivana Castillo Hurtado is 52^nd nationally and is 13-6 in singles this year, while going 9-4 this spring at the No. 3 position.  Senior Lena Beckx is 74^th nationally, while she and junior Milica Prokic are 38^th nationally in doubles this season at 6-7.  They are 5-6 in doubles at the top spot this spring. 
 
Junior Charleigh Fay is 12-5 this year in singles and is 7-2 with Castillo Hurtado in doubles this spring. Senior Carmelle Vial and junior Kitti Nemeth are 8-2 this spring in doubles at the No. 3 position.  Vial is 7-8 this year in singles.  
 
VSU had its first conference setback with a 7-0 loss to then No. 7 Mississippi College in Pensacola, Fla., on Apr. 3 in the last match.  West Florida enters the weekend ranked No. 2 nationally with a 16-4 record overall and a 5-1 mark in GSC play.
 
The Argos have won 13-straight matches and are led by Carlota Verdu who is fifth nationally at 15-13 this year in singles.  Sandra Recuenco Tarin is 32^nd nationally at 16-7, while Aline Midori Da Silva is 36^thnationally and is 14-8 this year in singles.  Guadalupe Martinez is 45^th nationally and is 19-7 this year.  Verdu and Recuenco Tarin are fifth nationally in doubles with a 13-10 record. 
 
UWF leads the all-time series 25-11, but VSU won 4-3 in Pensacola on Mar. 30, 2024, snapping a 19-match losing skid.  UWF won in Valdosta last season, 5-2.  
 
West Alabama enters ranked No. 4 nationally on the women's side and has four players ranked in the top 75 in singles.  The Tigers are 14-3 overall and 3-1 in league play.  Shaira Rivera is 10-7 in singles this season and is ninth nationally, while Alexa Milliam is 14^th nationally and 13-10 in singles.  Nanoka Kazama is 49^thnationally and 16-4 this season, while Jenaila Prulla is 69^th nationally and 16-3 this year.  In doubles, Milliam and Rivera are fourth nationally and 11-3 playing together.  
 
UWA has won ten of the last 19 meetings in the series and nine-straight dating back to a 5-1 loss in Montgomery, Ala., on Apr. 21, 2017.  That was the eight-straight win for VSU, prior to the nine currently for UWA. 
 
Christian Brothers enters with an 0-9-1 record and a 0-5 mark in league play in women's as it had a conference match postponed last week with West Alabama.  CBU will play UWF on Saturday, before facing VSU Sunday morning.  VSU leads the series 11-0.  
On the men's side, the Blazers enter with a 4-8 record overall and a 2-3 record in league play.  Blazer junior Philipp Bosse is 31^st nationally with a 9-5 record this year as the only player ranked in singles for the Blazers.  Blazer sophomore Julien Doitteau is 65^th at 5-2, but has been sidelined since Mar. 4.  Junior Jerome Iaconi is 6-2 this spring and 4-1 in GSC play, while Bosse also is 4-1 in league play to lead the team this season.  
 
West Florida enters as the top-ranked team in the country at 18-1 overall and a perfect 6-0 in league play. The Argos have won 15-straight matches and have three players ranked nationally in singles led by Diego Duran at No. 2 nationally who is 22-5 in singles this year.  Sebastian Rondon is fourth nationally at 20-4 overall, while Rafael Sabio is 45^th with a 17-8 record.  In doubles, Argo tandem of Rondon and Duran are the top ranked duo in the country at 22-4.  
 
The Argos hold a slim 24-22 lead in the past 46 matches, but the Blazers have won the last two and five of six.  VSU won 4-1 in the conference tournament last season and won 5-2 in Valdosta on Apr. 7, 2025. 
 
UWA enters ranked 16^th nationally at 11-5 overall and 3-2 in league play.  The Tigers also have three players ranked in the top 75 of the ITA singles rankings.  Matias Iturbe is 22^nd and 6-3 this year, but only has played in two matches in the spring.  Gabriel Garay is 14-5 and 29^th nationally, while Jacob Tapia is 57^th nationally with a 13-11 record.  In doubles, Tapia and Federico Iturbe are 14th and 11-3 this spring.   
 
VSU leads the all-time series 18-2 and has won the last 12 in the series.  VSU won 7-0 last season in Pensacola, Fla., on Apr. 10.  
 
Christian Brothers enters with a 4-10 record overall and a 0-6 mark in GSC play.  VSU owns a 13-0 record against CBU and won 4-0 in Montgomery, Ala., last season on Mar. 24.  
 
Following the matches this weekend, VSU returns home to host Lynn (both M&W) on Apr. 17 at 2 p.m. and the women will host Tampa on Saturday, Apr. 18 at 11 a.m. to complete the regular season.  
 
The 2026 Gulf South Conference Championship is set for Apr. 23-26 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.