Elza Tomase Named SEC Player of the Week for Stellar Performance
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Elza Tomase, a senior on the Tennessee women’s tennis team, earned the SEC Player of the Week accolade, as announced by the conference on Wednesday afternoon.
Head coach Alison Ojeda expressed her pride in Tomase’s journey, saying, “One of my favorite aspects of being a coach is sharing success stories like Elza’s. When she arrived at Tennessee, she was already a talented freshman with an incredible heart and vibrant personality.
However, there was significant work ahead for her to reach the level we all knew she was capable of. Over the course of her four years here, Elza has developed into a dedicated, coachable player and a reliable leader who exemplifies what it means to be part of a team.”
Tomase played a pivotal role in No. 18 Tennessee’s recent triumphs over Texas Tech and No. 15 Ohio State, which helped the team secure a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championship for the first time since 2012.
This marks the third time in her college career that Tomase has been recognized with a conference honor, highlighting her consistent excellence on the court.
In a commanding 4-0 victory over Texas Tech on Saturday, Tomase and her doubles partner, Elim Yan, delivered an impressive 6-1 win against the No. 15-ranked duo of Avelina Sayfetdinova and Mariia Hlahola. Tomase continued her strong performance in singles, securing a decisive 6-3, 6-2 win over Sayfetdinova.
The Lady Vols went on to edge Ohio State 4-3 in a thrilling match later that day. Once again, Tomase and Yan contributed with a 6-2 victory over Dani Schoenly and Sydni Ratliff in doubles. Tomase capped off an outstanding weekend by earning her first top-10 singles victory of the season, defeating No. 8-ranked Luciana Perry with a 6-3, 6-4 scoreline.
Ojeda praised Tomase’s focus and resilience, particularly in light of the team’s need to shift attention to other players during the tournament.
“To advance to the ITA Indoor Nationals, we needed to focus more on our other teammates’ courts. That could have been a challenge for Elza, considering she was playing against a top-10 opponent. But she understood the bigger picture and stepped up brilliantly to secure the win for the team. She truly deserves this recognition as SEC Player of the Week.”
Tomase was the only Lady Vol to finish the weekend with an undefeated record, going a perfect 4-0. Hailing from Liepaja, Latvia, she remains unbeaten in singles, with a flawless 4-0 mark in the 2025 season.
Tennessee has now captured the first two SEC weekly awards of the season, with Leyla Britez Risso being named Player of the Week on January 22, followed by Tomase’s honor on Wednesday.
With her exceptional contributions and leadership, Tomase continues to demonstrate why she is one of the team’s most valuable assets as they aim for even greater success this season.
