The Georgia Gwinnett College women's tennis team returned just one player with national championship experience when the 2025 season began in January. After four days of intense competition, the seven-member squad can now call themselves NAIA champions after a decisive 4-1 victory against top-seeded Keiser University (Florida) on Saturday afternoon at the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Alabama.

Second-seeded GGC (16-2) punctuated the season with a championship for the ninth consecutive spring – and the program's 10th national title.

"We have to keep the tradition alive. The players know what to expect when they arrive," said Head Coach Hannah Keeling. "We are a family and I think that is what pulls [the players] through in the tough moments. I couldn't be more proud of this team."

The victory allowed the Grizzlies to flip the script from a February 2 encounter between the two rivals. That's when Keiser posted a 4-1 victory in the championship match of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association NAIA Indoor tournament.

This time GGC's freshmen doubles pairing of MaryLove Edwards and Elizabet Verizova secured the match's crucial doubles point by winning the last three games for a 7-5 triumph on the No. 3 court. That came after seniors Isid Hernandez and Justine Lespes collected a 6-4 victory at No. 1 doubles.

That early momentum shift from the hour-long doubles matches flowed into the six singles matches, with GGC winning the opening set on five courts.

Verizova registered an impressive 6-3, 6-0 victory at No. 6 singles against Vanja Vidanovic to give the team a 2-0 advantage.

Junior Alexandra Melnikova then picked up a 6-4, 6-2 win on the No. 2 court to move the Grizzlies within one point from the title.

Keiser (23-4) got on the scoreboard following a 6-4, 6-1 straight-set win from Isabella Mercante on the No. 5 singles court.

But it wasn't long until freshman Diana Ilie secured the match-clinching point on the No. 4 court – turning around a loss to the Seahawks' Liza Velykorodna at the ITA indoor championships. Ilie won the last three games of the opening set to grab the early lead against Velykorodna 7-5.

That consecutive winning streak extended to seven games as Ilie raced out to a 4-0 lead in the second set. She closed out the match with a dominant 6-1 second-set score as a shot from Velykorodna floated long past the baseline.

"It is unbelievable. I got the chance to clinch against the opponent who clinched (against Ilie) during indoors. At the end of the match, I tried to stay relaxed, breathe a little bit, and play the point. Then, I just saw my teammates running towards me (to celebrate the NAIA title)," said Ilie.

Georgia Gwinnett College has defeated Keiser in seven straight national championship matches.