Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi Women's Tennis

EMAIL: [email protected] RECRUITS: See Islander Tennis Recruiting Guidelines and Online Questionnaire • Led Islanders to four straight NCAA Tournaments (2021-24) - only 34 schools in NCAA D-1 to do so • Former Head Coach at Northwestern State (2014-17) • Inducted into Northwestern State Hall of Fame (2024) • Led Northwestern State to 2015 NCAA Championships and Southland Conference title • Reached NCAA Championships as No. 1 player, Assistant coach and Head coach • Played #1 singles, #1 doubles on 2010 Southland Champion team that reached #64 nationally in NCAA D-I rankings • Named finalist for 2024 ITA Assistant Coach of the Year in Texas Regional • Led Islanders to 2018 Women's SLC title in first year as Associate Head Coach and again in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 • Coached Islanders men and women to SLC Championship and NCAA Tournament in 2021 and 2023 • 12 Southland Championships since joining Islanders in 2018 • Nine NCAA Tournaments as a coach (two with Lady Demons and seven with Islanders) • One of winningest players in SLC history • Works extra as strength & conditioning coach for Islanders tennis the past eight years, leading team to 12 SLC titles • Worked also as strength & conditioning coach at Northwestern State from 2013-2017 in addition to her coaching duties, leading Lady Demons to three Southland titles • Earned Masters in Science at Northwestern State Bazhanova joined the Islanders in 2017-18 after spending the previous three seasons as the head coach at Northwestern State, overseeing one of the most successful programs in the Southland Conference.Since coming to the Island, Bazhanova has led the Islander women to four straight NCAA Tournaments (2021, 22, 23, 24), the first time in the 61-year history of the Southland Conference this has been done. Bazhanova has additionally been a part of 12 Southland Conference Championships between both teams including seven NCAA Tournaments.  For her work, Bazhanova was named an ITA D-I Finalist for Assistant Coach of the Year in Texas in 2024. She was also inducted into the Northwestern State Hall of Fame after leading the Demons to the NCAA Championships as the No. 1 player, assistant coach, and head coach. In 2021, Bazhanova coached the Islanders to three championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances. The men completed a dominant season by winning both the SLC regular season and SLC Tournament titles, while the women swept through the SLC Tournament in a trio of 4-0 victories. The Islanders did the same in 2023, both reaching the NCAA Tournament and combined to win three championships. A&M-Corpus Christi was one of 29 Division I schools in America with both the men and women at the NCAA Championships. It was the third consecutive appearance for the women after also winning the conference tournament in 2022 which was then extended to a four-peat in 2024. As a head coach, she took the Demons to a Southland Conference Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2015. In 2016, she led her team back to the Southland Conference finals for a second straight season. Bazhanova has experienced success everywhere she's been. Between Northwestern State and A&M-Corpus Christi, she's made seven NCAA Tournament appearances which included a pair with the Lady Demons and a five with the Islanders.    “Coach Bazhanova is a huge addition to the Islanders tennis program,” said Moore. “She was widely considered one of the best up and coming coaches in the nation. She was a head coach who led her team to the NCAA Championships and the Southland Conference finals two of her three years.   "Most importantly, her philosophy on coaching is a perfect fit for the Islanders – She is all about character, team unity and hard work,” continued Moore. “I’m very excited to welcome Coach Bazhanova to the Islanders Tennis family and see the impact she will have on the program.”   Bazhanova’s teams also excelled in the classroom, consistently posting one of the the highest team GPAs in the Southland Conference. Northwestern State was named an ITA All-Academic Team three-straight years. Bazhanova also served as the team’s strength and conditioning coach at Northwestern State during all five of her years at the helm.   Bazhanova has been to the NCAA Championships as a head coach, assistant coach and player. She played and coached under Coach Patric DuBois, one of the winningest coaches in Southland Conference history.   During her time with the Demons, which dates to 2013 as an assistant coach, Bazhanova helped lead Northwestern State to a pair of Southland Conference Tournament Championships and another two runner-up finishes. Bazhanova was also heavily involved in fundraising for the Northwestern State tennis program. She was also the Assistant Director of the Wellness and Recreation Center at Northwestern State.   A former player at Northwestern State, Bazhanova has been a part of five Southland titles for the Demons. During her playing days, Bazhanova played No. 1 singles and doubles for three-straight seasons at Northwestern State and led one of the best teams in Southland history climbing to No. 62 in the national rankings. Bazhanova also served as team captain for the Demons.   A two-time All-Southland honoree, she led the 2010 NSU squad to a Southland title and a nation-best 21-2 record. Bazhanova was also a two-time All-Southland Academic and two-time All-Southland doubles selection.   In 2010, Bazhanova won the clinching match at No. 1 singles against UT Arlington to send Northwestern State to the NCAA Championships as the Southland Conference Tournament winner. That same year, Bazhanova clinched one of the biggest victories for any Southland team in conference history, winning at No. 1 singles as Northwestern State toppled nationally-ranked, SEC-foe Mississippi State.   “Olga was one of the most respected players in the history of our conference and led one of the most respected programs in the league,” said Moore.   A native of Nikolaev, Ukraine, Bazhanova holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees with honors from Northwestern State. “Of all the players I’ve coached on the pro tour, SEC and Sun Belt, men and women, Olga Bazhanova was the hardest worker I’ve ever coached.” - Luc Godin, head coach Louisiana-Lafayette “Without a doubt, Olga brought championship DNA to our athletic department as a student-athlete and coach, leading us to the NCAA Championships as a player, assistant coach and head coach. Her success speaks volumes about her drive to be successful, and she is so highly respected and well-liked within Demons Athletics.” - Greg Burke, former Northwestern State Director of Athletics “Olga did things the right way in everything she did. She would work as hard as it took to succeed. She did it as a student-athlete, assistant coach and head coach. Her motto was ‘find a way’ and she always did. She really cared about her student-athletes and tried to instill in them that same work ethic and mindset she had. She was incredibly successful at this.” - Patric DuBois, Deputy AD, NWST  

After leaving a historical mark on the Islanders Women's Tennis team as a student-athlete, Emma Aucagne joined the Islanders Tennis staff as a Graduate Assistant for the 2024-25 season.   Led Islanders to four straight NCAA Tournaments - only 34 teams in NCAA D-I to accomplish this 2x Southland Conference Player of the Year (2022 & 2024) 2022 Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the Year 2021 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year Three-year Team Captain 3x Southland Conference Singles First-Team Selection 3x Southland Conference All-Academic Selection "Emma brings big leadership and experience to the Islanders as assistant coach. She truly walked the walk as an elite student-athlete who led her team to the NCAA Championships four consecutive years - every year she played. That is simply an amazing accomplishment that very few tennis players can say. Emma also finished with a 4.0 GPA, but what Emma brings most is the character and leadership that young athletes need. She is a great role model with a huge heart who cares deeply about the players. She is exactly the kind of mentor I would want my young daughter to have and we are blessed to have Emma coaching for the Islanders!" said head coach Steve Moore.  2023-24 (Sr.): Repeated as SLC Player of the Year, the first player in program history to earn the award, let alone repeat it... the No. 1 singles player for a team that repeated as both the SLC regular season and tournament champions and advance to the NCAA Tournament... been a part of A&M-Corpus Christi's entire four-peat to make history as the first women's tennis team in the Southland Conference to reach four straight NCAA Tournaments... guided A&M-Corpus Christi to a 23-3 season including a perfect 7-0 in conference... posted an 18-6 record at No. 1 singles including a 6-1 mark in SLC play... named to SLC All-Conference First Team in singles and Second Team in doubles with partner Naomi Moi McKenzie after going 6-1 in SLC play at No. 1 doubles... named to SLC All-Tournament Team in singles after earning two wins at the tournament... named SLC Player of the Week on March 5 after opening conference play undefeated with singles and doubles wins over Southeastern... opened the season with a seven-match winning streak... helped extend A&M-Corpus Christi's home-winning streak to 46 consecutive matches, one of the longest in the country... maintained a 3.95 cumulative GPA as a criminal justice major and earned a spot on the SLC All-Academic First Team... won Flight A Singles at the Jake Frederick Memorial Islander Open in the fall 2022-23 (Jr.): The No. 1 singles player on a team that won both the SLC regular season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament... Guided A&M-Corpus Christi to a 25-3 season including a perfect 7-0 in conference... Helped extend A&M-Corpus Christi’s home winning-streak to 34 consecutive matches, one of the longest in the country... Been a part of A&M-Corpus Christi’s entire three-peat as a starter to make the NCAA Tournament three consecutive years... Tallied a 12-5 overall singles record and 4-3 in conference... Posted non-conference singles wins over New Mexico State, UTEP, UTRGV and Abilene Christian... Notched a 13-4 doubles record and 5-1 in conference, and won a pair of doubles matches at the conference tournament... Named SLC Player of the Week on Jan. 31. after big road wins on back-to-back days with three set victories at NMSU and UTEP... Won Flight A singles at the Islander Open in the fall... Maintained a 3.96 cumulative GPA as a criminal justice major and earned a spot on the SLC All-Academic First-Team... Honored with the Heart of the Team award by the program. 2021-22 (So.): Tabbed the 2021-22 SLC Player of the Year after playing every match on the season at No. 1 singles for an A&M-Corpus Christi team that was ranked No. 81 nationally, the highest national ranking in the Southland Conference... Became the first SLC Player of the Year winner in program history... Earned SLC Student-Athlete of the Year after recording a 3.95 cumulative GPA and is majoring in criminal justice... Won SLC Player of the Week on Feb. 1, Feb. 22, April 5 and April 12... Posted a 14-5 record and 5-1 in conference in singles... Ended the regular season on a three-match winning-streak... Tallied wins over UTSA, UTRGV, NJIT, UIW, Southeastern, New Orleans, Nicholls, McNeese, Prairie View A&M and Texas A&M-Kingsville... Won two matches at the SLC Tournament to help the Islanders advance to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year... Clinched the match in the SLC semifinals against New Orleans... Went 16-4 in doubles (5-1 SLC) with Emma Honore at the No. 1 and 2 positions... Played both No. 1 doubles and No. 1 singles at both the SLC Tournament and NCAA Tournament... Doubles wins over UTSA, UTRGV, Lamar, Sam Houston, UIW, NJIT, Southeastern, New Orleans, Nicholls, McNeese, Prairie View A&M and Texas A&M-Kingsville... Won six of the last seven doubles matches of the regular season... Moved into a leadership role and was named a Team Captain 2020-21 (Fr.): Named the SLC Freshman of the Year after going 22-1 in singles and 17-4 in doubles on the season... Posted a perfect 10-0 singles record in conference to earn All-Conference First-Team honors at No. 4... Tallied a 6-2 doubles record in conference to earn All-Conference Third-Team accolades at No. 2 with Emma Honore... Ended the season on a 16-match winning-streak... Clinched match point to win the SLC Tournament in the finals against Lamar... Did not drop a set in three singles matches at the SLC Tournament and was a combined 5-0 with three singles and two doubles wins at the tournament... Led 4-0 in the second set against eighth-ranked Baylor at the NCAA Tournament... Registered the doubles win of the year with a 6-2 triumph over eighth-ranked Baylor at the NCAA Tournament with Emma Honore... Went 2-0 against UTRGV to help sweep the South Texas Showdown... Recorded a 2-0 record against UTSA with a pair of straight-set wins... Voted A&M-Corpus Christi Women's Rookie of the Year at the 2021 Islanders Blue Carpet Awards banquet