Sacramento State raised the Big Sky Conference trophy on Saturday, April 26, steamrolling the competition en route to their second championship win.
The Hornets entered the tournament with a bye, getting an extra day to rest before facing the Idaho Vandals in the semifinals on Friday, April 25.
The Hornets made quick work in the rematch against the Vandals, slamming them 4-0 to advance in the tournament.
Sac State swept not only in the series but in the singles and doubles window. They secured points in straight sets, dominating the games they played.
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Entering the finals, the sweeps didn’t stop against Northern Arizona. The Hornets trampled the Lumberjacks in a 4-0 laugher that crowned them back-to-back champions.
Sac State completed 10 sweeps in the regular season and applied their faster style of play against NAU and Idaho, controlling all of the games they won.
STINGERS UP #ExperienceElevated pic.twitter.com/rPz2bVLoi1
— Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) April 26, 2025
Amid a high pressure atmosphere that a tournament final naturally brings, the Hornets were all smiles.
“We were just having fun the entire time. I don’t think I’ve ever made so many jokes on the court,” sophomore Reese Walker said. “The referee said, ‘That was one of the most energetic [games] I’ve ever seen.’”
Walker was named the Big Sky Tournament MVP for her contribution to the Hornets’ triumphant tournament performance.
–! –!
Sophomore Reese Walker is your 2025 @BigSkyConf tournament MVP! #StingersUp pic.twitter.com/OPWesCFrSJ— Sacramento State Women’s Tennis (@SacStateWTennis) April 26, 2025
The Hornets returned home with a new piece of hardware, waiting for the NCAA to announce their placement in the tournament.
As the Hornets gathered in the Sac State Athletics Center for a watch party, the NCAA announced a recognizable face whom the Hornets will be battling in the first round.
The watch party captured galvanized reactions, as the University of California Golden Bears were revealed as Sac State’s opponent to open the tournament.
Though the two schools have a history, it’s not a successful one for the Hornets.
The two first met in 2013, and the Golden Bears have had the Hornets’ number since. In all six of their matchups, the Golden Bears have swept the Hornets.
The Golden Bears hosted all of their six matches, with the trip to Seattle this weekend being the first time they both played each other outside of Berkeley.
California knocked Sac State out of the tournament in the first round last year in Berkeley, marking the battle in Seattle as a rematch and the first on neutral ground.
If the Hornets look to conjure an upset, they’ll have to rely on their faster style of play to give them control of the match’s pacing. The Hornets implemented this faster style against their Big Sky opponents, and it proved to be effective, sweeping their way to a repeat championship title.
The Golden Bears come in strong as the fifth seed from the ACC, where they’ve played against giants such as Duke, North Carolina, NC State and Virginia.
In conference play, the Golden Bears only won against Virginia on March 21, falling to the rest of the ACC teams that made this year’s tournament.
Though the Golden Bears swept the Hornets in their last contest, there’s reason to believe this year’s outcome could be different.
“I think this year we’re more mature, and we’re more ready for taking on the challenge and trying to get the upset,” head coach Sophie Breault said.
The Hornets were also riddled with injuries heading into the NCAA tournament last year. Returning champions, sophomores Lou Baudouin and Reese Walker, said the main difference is a healthier team this year.
“All of us are healthy. I feel like we have a belief mindset,” Walker said. “I think this year, it’s more regular for us to know that we can put our best foot forward and be up there with other teams.”
In addition to a healthier squad, the Hornets have controlled games by playing the faster pace that brought them another trophy.
“Last year, we were all broken physically,” Baudouin said. “I feel like we’re stronger this year, and I feel like we have way better chances to show up and play our best.”
The doubles window remained a strong suit throughout the Big Sky tournament, an area that can bring early confidence against Cal.
The doubles pairs have been successful across the board, with the Big Sky honoring sophomore tandem Emilija Pranyte and Lou Baudouin All-Conference second team doubles. Walker and junior Palina Saulevich received all-conference honorable mentions for their success at third.
Sac State will have to lean on its young talent to turn the tide in the singles lineup, specifically Walker and Baudouin, who outperformed Big Sky opponents.
Baudouin controls the energy through scattered positioning, forcing her opponent to match her mobile and unpredictable play style.
Walker relies heavily on her backhand and forehand motions, tying strength and speed into one, making opponents overwhelmed in planning a response.
With both experience and confidence flowing from a repeat title, the Hornets will face their biggest challenge against the Golden Bears, with a possible upset brewing.
The fight for the next round of the NCAA Tournament kicks off on Friday at 11 a.m.
