
Kate Fakih
Photo by: Jenny Xu
Fakih Earns Fourth Big Ten Freshman of the Week Award
April 09, 2025 | Women's Tennis
ROSEMONT, Ill. โ Kate Fakih of the UCLA women's tennis team earned her fourth career Big Ten Freshman of the Week award Wednesday, the conference announced. She has also collected two league Player of the Week honors this season.
Fakih clinched both wins of her team's sweep during the week of April 2-9. She went 4-0 overall across singles and doubles matches as the Bruins blanked Minnesota (April 6) one day after snapping No. 19 Wisconsin's 13-match winning streak (April 5).
Fakih was the last player standing in the UCLA's 4-3 victory against Wisconsin. The Badgers held a 3-2 lead before Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer and Fakih recorded the tying and winning wins, respectively. Fakih outlasted Tianna Rangan 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the deciding contest on Court 4. The next day saw Fakih again deliver the fourth point, this time with a 6-0, 6-3 performance versus Minnesota's Sofia Pinto on Court 3.
In doubles play, Fakih and partner Olivia Center clinched the opening point against Minnesota with a 6-4 decision over Pinto/Jeselle Ante on Court 2. Fakih/Center also downed Wisconsin's Ekaterina Ivanova/Ellison Reynoldson by a 6-3 margin.
Fakih also earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades on March 5, Feb. 12 and Jan. 29. She was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Oct. 23, 2024 and Sept. 25, 2024. There was a Bruin sweep of the conference's weekly awards Wednesday, as Lutkemeyer was voted Big Ten Player of the Week for the second time this season. Elise Wagle has been selected Big Ten Player of the Week once.
2024-25 BIG TEN WOMEN'S TENNIS FRESHMEN OF THE WEEK
Fakih clinched both wins of her team's sweep during the week of April 2-9. She went 4-0 overall across singles and doubles matches as the Bruins blanked Minnesota (April 6) one day after snapping No. 19 Wisconsin's 13-match winning streak (April 5).
Fakih was the last player standing in the UCLA's 4-3 victory against Wisconsin. The Badgers held a 3-2 lead before Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer and Fakih recorded the tying and winning wins, respectively. Fakih outlasted Tianna Rangan 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the deciding contest on Court 4. The next day saw Fakih again deliver the fourth point, this time with a 6-0, 6-3 performance versus Minnesota's Sofia Pinto on Court 3.
In doubles play, Fakih and partner Olivia Center clinched the opening point against Minnesota with a 6-4 decision over Pinto/Jeselle Ante on Court 2. Fakih/Center also downed Wisconsin's Ekaterina Ivanova/Ellison Reynoldson by a 6-3 margin.
Fakih also earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades on March 5, Feb. 12 and Jan. 29. She was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Oct. 23, 2024 and Sept. 25, 2024. There was a Bruin sweep of the conference's weekly awards Wednesday, as Lutkemeyer was voted Big Ten Player of the Week for the second time this season. Elise Wagle has been selected Big Ten Player of the Week once.
2024-25 BIG TEN WOMEN'S TENNIS FRESHMEN OF THE WEEK
Week | Player |
Jan. 15 | Emily Sartz-Lunde, Michigan |
Jan. 22 | Patsy Daughters, Oregon |
Jan. 29 | Kate Fakih, UCLA |
Feb. 5 | Jessica Bernales, Michigan |
Feb. 12 | Kate Fakih, UCLA |
Feb. 19 | Erica Jessel, Northwestern |
Feb. 26 | Carina Syrtveit, Washingtonย |
March 5 | Kate Fakih, UCLA |
March 12 | Jana Hossam, USC |
March 19 | Emily Sartz-Lunde, Michigan |
March 26 | Emily Sartz-Lunde, Michigan |
April 2 | Patricia Grigoras, Penn State |
April 9 | Kate Fakih, UCLA |
Players Mentioned
UCLA W. Tennis Postmatch - Olivia Center & Kate Fakih (Nov. 23, 2024)
Sunday, November 24
Media Availability - Coach Sampras Webster (May 15, 2024)
Thursday, May 16
NCAA First and Second Rounds
Friday, May 03
Postmatch Interviews: Fangran Tian/Rance Brown (May 27, 2023)
Saturday, May 27