ROME, Ga. – Seohyeon Jang reigns as the 2026 ITA CUP NAIA Women’s Singles National Champion. Jang seized all four matches without giving up a single set in the exclusive tournament. She defeated No. 4 Maria Purizaca (Doane), 6-4, 6-1, to take the crown on Sunday (Oct. 18) at the Rome Tennis Center.
Head Coach Lisa Hart shined with joy for her freshman national title winner.
“So proud of her,” Coach Hart said. “From the minute she stepped on campus, she just keeps getting better every match. She competes so well, carries herself so well and represents Bulldog Nation in the best possible way. Her attitude, her effort and just how she represents our program are first class.”
In the championship match down 2-4 in the first set, Jang needed to win a deuce point to avoid a major setback, that would have put her down three games. The Seoul, South Korea, native claimed the momentous game as she would rattle off four consecutive games to take set one.
Hart continued, “I think she just set the tone once she won the first set. I felt like in every match, she just kind of rolled. There were lots of great players here. Credit to Maria from Doane, she played a heck of a match. That's probably the best tennis I've ever seen her play. She gave Lay all she could handle in that first set. I'm really proud of how Lay played those big points late in the first set.”
Jang continued to become more aggressive as the match went on and finished the second set in decisive fashion. The freshman clamped down on long rallies and was dominant on first serves. She went 29-for-40 on service points won. She is 3-0 versus Purizaca this fall.
“I didn’t expect to feel nervous, but I came here with the best coaches,” Jang said. “That’s why I am the champion. I am so happy.”
On the way to the championship, the Kyung Hee Cyber grad defeated Martina Antich (Ottawa-Arizona), Lena Couto (Keiser) and No. 2 Suryanshi Suryanshi (Georgia Gwinett) all in consecutive sets. She never allowed more than four games in a set and outscored her opponents 48-20.
Jang is unblemished this fall with a 14-0 singles record in her first year. She became the first Bulldog Tennis player to win the ITA Central West Regional, then put an early stamp on her legacy by lifting the ITA Cup.
Concordia University, Nebraska and Jang are finished for the fall season. The spring campaign will begin in 2027.