Our Lady of the Lake University men’s tennis team delivered a decisive performance at home, earning a 7–0 sweep over the University of Dallas. Competing with control throughout the match, OLLU established momentum early and maintained it across both doubles and singles play.
The Saints set the tone in doubles competition with strong showings across the courts. At the No. 1 position, Gailey and Olen secured a 6–3 victory, demonstrating effective coordination and steady shot-making. Jimenez and Castro followed with a 6–2 win at No. 2 doubles, extending the early advantage. The No. 3 doubles match was decided by default in favor of Bocquet and Ceolin, completing the doubles sweep and giving OLLU a firm lead heading into singles.
In singles play, the Saints continued their dominant form. Gailey earned a straight-sets victory at No. 1 singles, 6–1, 6–2, controlling the match from the baseline. Olen battled through a competitive contest at No. 2, ultimately securing the win in a match tiebreak, 6–0, 5–7, [10–7]. Castro added another straight-sets win at No. 3, 6–1, 6–2, maintaining pressure throughout.
Ceolin delivered a consistent performance at No. 4 singles, winning 6–2, 6–1, while Arzate matched that result at No. 5 with a 6–0, 6–0 victory. Bocquet was awarded the No. 6 singles match by default, sealing the final point of the contest.
Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) is proud to welcome a new addition to its coaching staff, bringing more than two decades of experience, a passion for student-athlete development, and a commitment to building a strong and supportive athletic culture.
Originally from Americus, Georgia, where he was also raised, the new coach began his journey in athletics at Iowa Wesleyan College. His path into coaching was rooted in community involvement, starting more than 20 years ago as a basketball and youth football coach in his hometown. What began as a way to give back quickly evolved into a lifelong profession dedicated to mentorship, leadership, and competitive excellence.
Over the course of 23 years, he has built an extensive and diverse coaching resume. His experience includes time at Immanuel Christian School in California, Thomas University in Georgia, Thomas County Central High School, Brookwood School, Americus Sumter High School, and Lee County High School. Throughout his career, he has served in a variety of roles, including Head Varsity Girls Basketball Coach, Head Varsity Boys and Girls Track and Field Coach, Assistant Varsity Boys Football Coach, Assistant Women’s Flag Football Coach, and Head Middle School Boys Flag Football Coach. This wide-ranging background reflects both his adaptability and his deep understanding of athlete development across multiple sports.
His dedication and impact have not gone unnoticed. Among his career highlights are being named Coach of the Year, Conference Assistant Coach of the Year, and Community Volunteer of the Year. These honors speak not only to his success on the field but also to his influence within the communities he has served.
Athletic Director Tom Norris commented,
“We are thrilled to welcome him to Our Lady of the Lake University. His extensive experience across multiple sports, combined with his commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the field, aligns perfectly with our mission. He brings a passion for building relationships, fostering accountability, and creating a culture of excellence, and we are confident he will make an immediate and lasting impact on our program and our campus community.”
A key influence throughout his journey has been his father, whom he credits as his biggest supporter and a constant source of inspiration. That foundation has helped shape a coaching philosophy centered on developing the whole person, elevating athletic performance, and fostering a culture of excellence. He emphasizes discipline, accountability, and passion, encouraging his athletes to compete with confidence while supporting one another like family. His approach focuses on daily growth and collective success, with the belief that greatness is achieved together.
A devoted father, he has two daughters, ages 20 and 5, who remain at the center of his motivation and purpose. As he begins this new chapter at OLLU, he brings with him a wealth of experience, a heart for mentorship, and a vision for building a winning culture grounded in unity, growth, and excellence.
The Our Lady of the Lake University women’s tennis team faced a competitive set of matchups in recent play, navigating challenging opponents in Louisiana Christian University, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Dillard University. Across these contests, the Saints demonstrated the ability to secure critical singles and doubles victories, highlighted by several standout performances.
The season stretch began against Louisiana Christian University, where the Saints fell 4-1. In doubles action, OLLU found success on the third court, with Laure and Peters defeating Uchiyama and Ferrer Martinez 6-3, while the top two doubles matches went in favor of the Lady Wildcats. Singles play showcased competitive efforts from the Saints lineup. Uchiyama earned a key 7-5, 6-4 victory over Chambon at No. 6 singles, and Rodrigues contributed with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Pisar at No. 2. Despite these individual successes, Louisiana Christian captured the overall team victory, leaving OLLU with valuable experience and lessons from the match.
The Saints faced Xavier University of Louisiana, where they were narrowly defeated 4-0. The Xavier doubles teams secured the early point, including decisive wins over Pisar and Chambon and also Laure and Peters. In singles, OLLU’s Guerrero and Peters faced tough losses, while other matches were unfinished once the team result was determined.
In the most recent contest, OLLU earned a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Dillard University. The Saints captured the doubles point on the top court, with Pisar and Chambon defeating Chen and Peres 5-4, setting the tone for a tightly contested match. Singles victories from Guerrero (6-3, 6-4), Peters (6-4, 7-6), and Laure (6-3, 6-1) proved decisive, allowing OLLU to overcome deficits on other courts and secure the overall team win.
While early losses against Louisiana Christian and Xavier presented challenges, the team’s competitive spirit and ability to rebound against Dillard signal growth and promise as the season progresses. The Saints will be back in action against Texas A&M-Texarkana on Saturday.
Louisiana Christian made the most significant upward movement in the third installment of the 2026 NAIA Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, climbing to No. 15 from No. 18 in a poll that saw little movement since the last edition, in February. No. 1 through No. 7 stayed the same, as Keiser (Fla.) claimed all 12 first-place votes to remain atop the poll.
One team moved into the poll, Texas A&M-Texarkana, at No. 25, and there’s one tie, between Georgia Gwinnett and Our Lady of the Lake (Texas), at No. 16. The next poll is scheduled for March 25.
Our Lady of the Lake produced a strong all-around performance Wednesday, defeating Huston–Tillotson 16–2 behind a dominant outing from starting pitcher Josh Ruiz and a balanced offensive effort that produced 14 hits.
Ruiz earned the win after pitching a complete seven innings. He allowed just three hits and two runs, only one of which was earned, while striking out eight and walking one. The right-hander threw 77 pitches, 61 for strikes, and kept Huston–Tillotson from generating consistent offensive pressure throughout the game.
At the plate, the Saints capitalized on scoring opportunities early and often. Benjamin Hovda reached base three times, scored three runs, drove in two, and added two stolen bases. Jack Kalisky finished with two hits and three runs scored, including a double that helped fuel the early offense.
Diego Zuniga led the Saints with a standout performance, going 3-for-4 with five runs batted in and two doubles. His timely hitting helped extend several innings and build the Saints lead.
Jacob Cueva also delivered a productive day, collecting two doubles and two RBIs. Brett Atkinson recorded two hits, including a double, while scoring twice and driving in one. Aiden Gonzalez added two hits and two RBIs, and Mason Ruiz contributed a double and an RBI.
Our Lady of the Lake remained aggressive on the bases as well. Hovda stole two bases, Derek Hernandez added two steals after reaching base, and Atkinson contributed another as the Saints continued to pressure the Huston–Tillotson defense.
Huston–Tillotson scored its runs on a solo home run from Jacob Perez and a sacrifice fly from Danny Hernandez. However, the Rams managed only three hits in the game and struck out eight times against Ruiz. After Huston–Tillotson starter Edgar Muniz allowed four runs in three innings, the Saints continued to add to their lead against the bullpen, including a five-run stretch during the middle innings that put the game out of reach.
The Saints will be back in action this Friday at 6:00 PM CDT to start their home stand against Texas A&M-Texarkana.
The RRAC announces Texas A&M-Victoria’s Alyssa Carter as Softball Player of the Week and ninth-ranked Our Lady of the Lake’s (Texas) Annika Litterio as Pitcher of the Week for the dates of March 2-8. This is the sixth set of weekly awards.Senior right-handed pitcher Annika Litterio pitched in all four of the Saints’ games last week. She secured two wins – Freed-Hardeman, 9-8, and (22) William Carey, 4-2. She suffered one loss against (20) Mobile (Ala.), 2-1, and one no-decision to (10) Southeastern (Fla.), 1-0. Litterio pitched 18.1 innings, allowing three unearned runs, while striking out 14. Her ERA for the week is 1.15. She also added three assists..
Litterio has 11 wins and two losses, plus one save. She pitched in a total of 68 innings and struck out 83. She is second in the RRAC with a 1.34 ERA, and first in wins and in strikeouts. This is Litterio’s third Pitcher of the Week award.
OLLU is first in the conference with a 6-0 record and 16-3 overall. The Saints are ranked ninth in the latest NAIA Softball Coaches Top 25 Poll.
The Our Lady of the Lake University Saints earned a share of third place at the Schreiner Shootout, finishing in a tie in a competitive seven-team field.
The Saints posted a two-round total of 46-over par, opening with a 16-over performance before carding a 30-over round on day two. Their consistent presence near the top half of the standings reflected a balanced lineup and multiple individual finishes inside the top 25.
University of the Southwest Mustangs claimed the team title at 23-over par, shooting rounds of 10-over and 13-over. Concordia Texas Tornados finished second at 30-over, highlighted by a strong 6-over opening round. OLLU tied for third with University of St. Thomas Celts, which rebounded from a 27-over first round to post a 19-over team score in the final round.
Schreiner Mountaineers placed fifth at 49-over, followed closely by McMurry War Hawks at 50-over. Dallas Crusaders rounded out the standings at 57-over.
Individually, OLLU was led by Alex Marshall, who tied for 14th at 11-over par. Victor Pena-Cortes and Niall Langley-Brook each tied for 17th at 12-over, while Juan Limon and Ozil Trey Salinas added top-25 finishes to strengthen the team total. The Saints also received contributions from their individual competitors, who gained valuable tournament experience against a deep regional field.
The tie for third place positions OLLU well as the team continues to build rhythm early in the season. Competing closely with several established programs, the Saints demonstrated depth and the potential to contend as the season progresses.
The Our Lady of the Lake University Saints delivered a competitive performance at the Schreiner Shootout, earning a runner-up team finish against a challenging field.
The Saints posted a two-round total of 81-over par, improving by five strokes from the opening round. After carding a 43-over team score on day one, OLLU responded with a 38-over performance in the second round, highlighting the team’s ability to make adjustments and close the tournament with momentum.
Odessa College Wranglers claimed the team title with an impressive 18-over total, shooting consistent rounds of 9-over in both rounds. University of St. Thomas Celts finished third at 120-over, followed by University of the Southwest Mustangs at 124-over. Schreiner Mountaineers placed fifth with a 141-over total, and Dallas Crusaders rounded out the standings at 235-over.
Individually, Samantha Garcia led OLLU with a fifth-place finish at 12-over par, setting the tone for the Saints effort. Kendall Ward showed continued improvement between rounds to finish inside the top 10, while Grayson Weiler and Sophia Young each contributed steady scores that factored into the team total. Samantha Ziegler rounded out the teams performance.
The runner-up finish reflects continued progress for OLLU as the team builds consistency early in the season. The Saints were coming off a big week the previous week as they took first place and look to continue to build the momentum going forward.
Our Lady of the Lake’s (Texas) Kendall Ward‘s outstanding performance has earned her the RRAC Women’s Golfer of the Week for the dates of Feb. 23-March 1. This is the second set of the weekly awards.
RRAC Women’s Golfer of the Week – Kendall Ward – Our Lady of the Lake
At Hackberry Creek Country Club in Irving, Texas, the women of OLLU, led by junior Kendall Ward, captured the team title at the Crusaders Cup. Over 36 holes, OLLU finished at +111, posting rounds of +40 and +71 to secure first place ahead of eight other institutions. Ward earned a runner-up finish at +23, tying for second among a slate of 47 golfers. After an impressive +3 opening round, she battled through a tougher second day (+20) and still held her position among the tournament’s elite.
The Our Lady of the Lake Saints softball team has earned national recognition in the latest NAIA Softball Coaches Top 25 Poll, continuing a strong start to the 2026 season. The Saints checked in at No. 9 in the first regular-season poll, receiving one first-place vote after compiling an impressive 14-1 record.
The poll, released by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, is led by Southern Oregon, which maintained the top position with 11 first-place votes and a 16-6 record. Eastern Oregon moved up to No. 2 with one first-place vote, while Oklahoma City sits at No. 3 after collecting three first-place selections. Oregon Tech climbed to No. 4 with two first-place votes, and Science and Arts of Oklahoma rounds out the top five.
Our Lady of the Lake’s rise to ninth place marks a notable jump from its previous ranking of No. 12, reflecting the program’s early-season success and consistency on the field. The Saints lone first-place vote highlights the respect the program has gained nationally as it continues to build momentum against a competitive schedule.
The Saints are one of two programs from Texas ranked in the poll, joining Texas A&M–Texarkana, which sits at No. 23 with a 12-4 record. Their presence in the Top 10 underscores the continued growth and competitiveness of the program within the NAIA landscape.
As the season progresses, Our Lady of the Lake will look to maintain its strong form and continue climbing in the national rankings. With a 14-1 record and early national recognition, the Saints have positioned themselves as one of the top contenders in NAIA softball this season. The Saints will look to add to their resume as they compete in Gulf Shores this weekend against elite NAIA Softball competition.
