The No. 41-ranked Northwest Missouri State University women's tennis team claimed its fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament by capturing the No. 4 seed in the Central Region.
 
It marks the 23rd all-time NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
 
The Central Region has an allocation of six teams (three conference champions and three at-large bids) in the 48-team NCAA Tournament field and two teams will advance from the Central Region to the finals site (Surprise, Ariz. - May 19-23). 
 
Northwest is the No. 4 seed and will take on No. 5 seed Missouri Western (16-5 overall) in the opening round at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 8, in Sioux Falls, S.D. The winner of the Northwest-Missouri Western match will take on the No. 1 seed Augustana Vikings (19-2 overall) in the regional final.
 
NCAA Central Region – Sioux Falls, S.D.
Friday, May 8 – No. 4 Northwest Missouri State (17-5) vs. No. 5 Missouri Western (16-5), 11 a.m.
Saturday, May 9 – Winner at No. 1 Augustana (19-2), 11 a.m.
 
NCAA Central Region – Edmond, Okla.
Friday, May 8 – No. 3 Washburn (18-4) vs. No. 6 Arkansas Tech (9-7), 10 a.m.
Saturday, May 9 – Winner at No. 2 Central Oklahoma (18-3), 10 a.m.
 
Head coach Mark Rosewell has led Northwest to a 25-22 record in the NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats have advanced eight times past the regional round in 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2019. Rosewell has produced 1,317 coaching victories, including 1,295 at Northwest.
 
Northwest (17-5 overall) placed third in the MIAA regular season with a league dual mark of 7-2. Northwest reached the MIAA Tournament semifinals with a quarterfinal win over Nebraska-Kearney.
 
Northwest is led by five all-MIAA performers Polina Agapitova, Majra Djokic, Chiharui Ito, Miru Nonaka and Anne Carvalho Pereira. Gontaryk has tallied a team-best 18 singles wins, including a mark of 16-2 at No. 5 singles. Ito is 17-3 in singles action and went 9-0 in singles in the MIAA dual season. Djokic and Agapitova has each posted 16 singles wins. Gontaryk leads the way in doubles with a team-best 16 wins.
 
Northwest's NCAA Tournament Record
Overall - 25-22
In regional first round - 14-7
In regional second round - 8-7
In national first round - 3-5
in national quarterfinals - 0-3