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Shea Bieniek at the ITAs
Scott Handback

Bieniek, Hulicki, Hofmann Make Deep Runs at ITA South Regional

9/28/2026 5:57:00 PM

By: Michael Spratt
FRANKLIN, Tenn.  The Methodist women's tennis team sent three Monarchs — Shea Bieniek, Emma Hulicki, and Helen Hofmann — to the 2026 Division III Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) South Regional Championships this past weekend, hosted by Sewanee: The University of the South at the Farm and Forge Club.
 
SINGLES
  • After falling in the Round of 32 of the 'A' flight, junior Emma Hulicki and sophomore Helen Hofmann each made deep runs through their respective consolation brackets, advancing to the finals.
  • Hulicki opened her consolation run with a dominant 6-2, 6-0 victory over Malakie Smith of Millsaps College in the quarterfinals. She then faced North Carolina Wesleyan University's Ajla Selimovic in the semifinals, dropping the opening set 6-4 before rallying to win the final two sets, 6-1, 10-7. Hulicki faced Sewanee's Mercer Holman in the consolation final, where she battled before falling 6-3, 6-4.
  • Hofmann also advanced to the consolation final after a pair of straight-set victories. She defeated Sara Dunn of Centre College 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals before taking down Piedmont University's Kaleigh Stallworth 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals. Hofmann's run ended in the final against Rhodes College's Lily Clark, who earned a 6-1, 6-3 victory.
  • Sophomore Shea Bieniek competed in the 'B' flight and put together an impressive run to the championship match. She opened with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Millsaps' Bella-Bennett Graham in the Round of 32 before defeating Ashbury University's Malory Watkins 6-3, 6-3 in the Round of 16.
  • n the quarterfinals, Bieniek edged Rhodes' Anna Ogiba 7-5 in the opening set before closing out the match with a 6-1 second-set victory. She then advanced to the final with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-2) semifinal victory over Centre's Carrie Foster.
  • Bieniek was originally scheduled to face Sewanee's Sadie Burdell in the 'B' flight final. Due to logistical issues, however, the two competitors were named co-champions.
DOUBLES
  • Hulicki and Bieniek also teamed up in the 'A' doubles bracket. The duo opened tournament play with an 8-6 victory over Laura Camara Blanco and Oriana Roldan of Mississippi University for Women in the Round of 32.
  • Their run came to an end in the Round of 16, where they fell 8-0 to Emory's Xuanya Chen and Audrey Pogue.
UP NEXT
The Monarchs return to action October 9-10, when Methodist hosts its second invitational of the fall season.
    
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