Oyinlomo Quadre wins C-USA Freshman and Player of the Year

Brian Olmo | Sports Director

After another stellar season, it’s time for FIU women’s tennis to reap in what its sowed. 

Freshman Oyinlomo Quadre becomes the first Panther in program history to take home both the Conference USA Freshman and Player of the Year awards in the same year, and the first to do it in the conference since 2012. 

Hailing from Lekki, Nigeria, Quadre wasn’t allowed to play a competitive tennis match for six months due to additional paperwork. 

With only a few days remaining before the team’s opening match against Liberty, Quadre got on the court and practiced to make up for lost time. 

Despite her efforts, she fell in her first singles match, 3-6, 4-6. 

A rocky start didn’t deter Quadre. Since then, she has been a standout player for FIU, leading the team in singles wins with 15 and remaining undefeated in conference play at the No. 3 spot, 3-0. 

Quadre is also the only freshman on the team to record double-digit singles wins in the midst of a 13-match streak, not having lost since February. 

With her doubles partner sophomore Yasmine Kabbaj, Quadre has a 16-5 dual doubles record. The pair is currently ranked 89th in the nation and recorded a 14-5 record from the No. 2 position. 

Quadre wasn’t the only Panther to receive recognition for their efforts this season. FIU as a team was well represented. 

Kabbaj, who won Freshman of the Year last season, earned All-C-USA Singles First Team recognition, All-C-USA Doubles First Team honors alongside Quadre and Singles Player of the C-USA Championship.

Junior Salma Loudili and freshman Katerina Mandelikova earned spots on the All-C-USA Singles Second Team. Loudili also notched C-USA Newcomer of the Year.

Freshman Ekaterina Khairutdinova and graduate Kamila Umarova made the doubles first team, ranking as high as No. 44 during the season. 

FIU rounds out the awards with Quadre, Mandelikova and Khairutdinova all placing on the All-Freshman team, giving the Panthers the most spots on the team in the conference.

The Panthers now look forward to No. 19 Auburn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. 

First serve is set for 10 a.m. and the match will be hosted at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center in Coral Gables, Florida.

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