Altamonte Springs, Fla - The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) hosted the Florida regional tournament September 25-27, 2015 at SanLando Tennis Center in Altamonte Springs.  State College of Florida (SCF) started the tournament with two first year players receiving seeds, Iulia Sergheeva #2 and Maria Medina #3.

Both Medina and Sergheeva swiftly moved through the bracket, winning their first three matches in straight sets. Neither player gave up more than four points in a set before the championship match.  With the victories the stage was set for an all SCF championship match.  The two squared off and battled to the finish.  Mediana won the first set (6-1), but Sergheeva turned it around and won the next two sets (6-4, 6-4). 

Medina becomes the fifth Manatees tennis player to win the Florida Regional ITA, in just six years of SCF sponsoring the sport.  Previous winners include Natella Nabieva (2014), Miranda Talbert (2013), Chloe Murphy (2012), and SCF's first ITA winner Mariana Palacios (2011).  Winners of past ITA regionals have received tennis scholarships to University of Wyoming, University of South Florida, and University of Illinois Chicago.

Three of the four Manatees tennis players received byes in the first round.  Sophomore, Casey O'Toole, was the lone Manatees tennis player to have a match in the first round.  She played Konomi Shida of Broward College.  O'Toole, the defending state champion in the #6 draw, fell in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) to Shida. Casey O'Toole regrouped from the loss and went on to win the consolation bracket.

With the victory, Iulia Sergheeva earns a berth in the ITA Small College National Championship to be played in Sumter, South Carolina on October 15-18, 2015.