Houston tennis team celebrating senior Gabriela Cortes’ score after her second round of singles of an NCAA tennis match against Missouri State on Sunday March 29, 2026, in Houston, Texas. | Luis Diego Gonzalez/The Cougar
The Houston tennis team went into their 2026 season with grit after a devastating 2025 season. Under Houston’s second season under coach Katarina Adamovic, the Cougars felt a string of determination going on to the courts. The Cougars opened with a nine non-conference match win streak, the best season opener since 1990.
Even though the Cougars lost the first round in the Big 12 Championship Tournament against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, the season was filled with resilience. The Cougars finished 17-6 overall and 8-5 in the Big 12 conference.
Houston opened the conference season with back-to-back wins. However, the first weekend away, the Cougars suffered two losses, followed by a home match loss against the Red Raiders.
The Cougars, with an undeniable shutout mentality, closed out thirteen matches overall and two in conference with 4-0. The force of nature was spread all throughout the players and three stood out.
Houston senior Sophie Schouten, took the court with speed. Her forehand took her to a 17-1 overall and 7-0 in conference singles. Schouten, always being the first to complete her singles matches, only dropped a total of two sets out of 37 sets played, setting a 94.6% set win rate. The Cougar held her end for the season.
Houston junior Valeriia Krokhotina paced her opponents and threaded with tempo. The Cougar posted 14-1 overall and 5-1 in conference singles. Krokhotina rose mid-season from fourth to third in the singles ranking for the Cougars, after determining matches early in a set. She dropped only 4 sets out of 33 played, for an 87.9% set win rate. Krokhotina’s consistent rallies took control of most matches and settled winners when needed.
Junior Petja Drame showcased skillful play from the beginning. Drame ended the season 10-5 overall and 4-1 in conference singles. Her powerful and precise serves held service games.
If Drame wasn’t one of the first Cougars to close out a match she was the one to clinch it. Gaining the ultimate win for Houston, Drame dropped ten sets out of the 31 played, setting a 67.7% set win rate.
To understand the depth of Coach Adamovic’s team’s motivation, the synergy between the players is on the doubles courts. Houston senior Chems Doha Zeghlouli and Schouten synchronized tactical play became the backbone of the Cougars’ early lead in matches.
The pair went 13-6 overall and 5-2 in conference doubles. Zeghlouli and Schouten’s strong defense at net helped them dominate 55% of the games for the season. The doubles pair’s highest rank for the season was 82 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) on Feb 19.
With the season over, Houston now faces a period of transition as they say goodbye to four graduating seniors: Elizaveta Morozova, Gabriela Cortes, Schouten and Zeghlouli. They led Houston to its most successful season in over three decades.
Under Coach Adamovic, Houston continues to prove they can compete at the highest level in the Big 12 and continue their “shutout mentality.”
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