Women's Tennis Welcomes Six Newcomers for 2025-26

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Entering her second year leading the Belmont University women's tennis program, head coach Ellie Burger has announced her first signing class with six newcomers joining the Bruins for the 2025-26 year. Belmont welcomes three transfers and three freshmen to the Music City this August.
 
Sophomore Jessica Popiol (Drake), graduate student Cielo Tapia-Cruz (Utah State/North Carolina A&T) and redshirt freshman Savannah Webster (Miami) join the Bruins as transfers, while Ketevan Jeladze, Mia Jones and Annika Warkentin arrive in Nashville as freshmen.
 
"I'm thrilled to announce the signing class for the upcoming season," said coach Burger. "The incoming group embodies everything Belmont women's tennis is about – toughness, grit and a team-first mentality. With a strong blend of experience and youth, each player brings something unique and valuable to the team. This is a special signing class, and I'm confident they will make an immediate and lasting impact on our program."
 
A Chicago native, Popiol primarily played at the top of the Bulldogs' singles and doubles lineup as a true freshman last season. She garnered both singles player and doubles team of the week awards from the Missouri Valley Conference after a standout prep career at Bartlett High School. An Illinois High School Association (IHSA) All-State selection, Popiol played No. 1 for the Hawks and was a three-time Upstate Eight Conference singles champion. She also won a singles sectional championship.
 
Tapia-Cruz spent her first two collegiate seasons at North Carolina A&T before transferring to Utah State for her junior and senior years. Enrolling in Belmont's Master of Sport Administration program and set to graduate from Utah State in August, Tapia-Cruz will have one season of eligibility for the Bruins. A native of Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, Tapia-Cruz went 6-4 at No. 2 doubles for the Aggies last spring and was a team-best 14-10 overall in doubles including fall tournament play. After playing primarily No. 3 singles for the Aggies of North Carolina A&T as a true freshman, Tapia-Cruz went 9-4 at No. 2 singles her sophomore season in 2023. She graduated from Jefferson International in Mexico and participated in a Mexican national team camp prior to the 2020 Summer Olympics. Her junior career was highlighted by winning national titles in singles in 2019 and doubles in 2018.
 
Transferring to Belmont from the University of Miami, Webster is a niece of 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras and daughter of UCLA head coach Stella Sampras Webster. A native of El Segundo, California, Webster trained at the Gomez Tennis Academy in Naples, Florida, and won multiple United States Tennis Association (USTA) L2 and L3 national tournaments in both singles and doubles. She rose to No. 23 nationally in singles and was ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation in doubles during her junior career. Webster claimed a USTA Gold Ball in doubles at indoor nationals and captured a USTA Bronze Ball in doubles at the Easter Bowl. An ITF J4 doubles champion in Barbados, Webster was ranked in the top 600 in the world on the ITF junior circuit. Savannah's twin sister, Sophia, plays at nearby Vanderbilt.
 
Hailing from Tbilisi, Georgia, Jeladze is the top U18 player in the country of Georgia and represented Georgia on the U18 national team. Training at the Leila Meskhi Tennis Academy, Jeladze played on the ITF Junior World Tennis Tour.
 
A native of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Jones trained at the Weil Tennis Academy in Ojai, California, and played ITF junior tournaments.
 
A German-American from Hollywood, Florida, Warkentin was coached by former Hungarian WTA player Melinda Czink. Playing on the USTA junior tour in Florida, Warkentin is a two-star recruit by TennisRecruiting.net. Ranked in the top 60 in the state, top 125 in the southeast region and top 425 in the nation by TennisRecruiting.net, Warkentin graduated with honors from ICL Academy.
 
In addition to their six newcomers, the Bruins return senior Libbie Hamilton, junior Hana Sokolovic and sophomore Sarah McElrath.
 
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