Oregon trio earns berths into NCAA individuals
Oregon tennis players Daria Panova, Dominika Dieskova and Sven Swinnen all earned individual NCAA Championships bids Thursday.
Panova and Dieskova are both set to travel to Athens, Ga., from May 24-29, for the NCAA women’s tournament.
Swinnen, and possibly Manuel Kost, who earned an alternate berth, will participate in the men’s tournament from May 26-31 in Tulsa, Okla.
For 12th-ranked Panova, the nomination marks her second straight trip on the ultimate postseason journey. She reached the Sweet 16 in 2003, losing to Southern California’s Jewel Peterson, 6-2, 6-3.
Panova, a junior who hails from Moscow, is 31-12 this season and is helping lead the Duck women to a berth into the NCAA Team Championships next week.
Dieskova’s selection in the field marks the first time in the program’s history that a freshman has been chosen. She is 20-14 this season and has been ranked in the top 75 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association for most of the season.
Dieskova is currently 71st.
“I am so happy for both Daria and Dominika,” Oregon women’s head coach Nils Schyllander said. “Dominika has worked very hard this season and to make it as a freshman is a huge accomplishment.”
Swinnen will represent the Oregon men as the team’s only selection.
Junior Swinnen’s gone 22-8 this season, jumping from a No. 92 ranking early in the season to 16th in the most recent ITA poll.
“Sven had a tremendous season,” Oregon men’s head coach Chris Russell said. “He beat some of the top players in the country and was a big part of our success.”
Precedent suggests Kost, ranked 66th in the nation after going 18-10 this season, could ultimately earn a full bid. Oregon’s Courtney Nagle played in the women’s individual championships this past season after being named an alternate.

— Hank Hager