EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP tennis team will initiate its fall season by taking part in the NM State Aggie Invite from Friday through Sunday on the campus of NM State. The Miners will compete alongside Abilene Christian, NM State and Western New Mexico.
 
It will mark the first of six fall tournaments for the Orange and Blue, but at least to start off, they will be shorthanded.
 
"While we are very excited to begin our fall season, it is a little bittersweet as we have four players injured or sick for this first tourney," UTEP head coach Ivan Fernandez said. "We will have five playing this weekend at NM State, and it will be great to get back out on the court."
 
Two returners, senior Elena Dibattista and junior Carlotta Mencaglia, will lead the charge for UTEP into the event. Making their Miner debuts will be freshmen Decora Antoine and Hanna Telzynska and graduate transfer Emma Stuart.
 
Dibattista tied for the team lead a year ago in doubles with 14 wins while competing alongside Zuzanna Szczepanska. She also produced seven victories in singles, including six in dual action. Mencaglia topped the squad in dual-match singles victories (eight) and shared the top spot for overall singles triumphs (12) a year ago. She also became the first Miner since 2016 to garner CUSA Tennis Athlete of the Week accolades.
 
Stuart was the No. 2 recruit in Utah and 90th nationally coming out of high school before signing with BYU. She went 6-5 in a shortened season of competition in her lone year with the Cougars. Telzynska, a native of Poland, sported an ITF ranking (juniors) of 535 and earned Vice-Champion status in the teams champions of Poland three times. Antoine was a three-time All-District honoree with Round Rock HS and was a Texas HS 6A finalist for doubles in 2020-21.
 
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