PHILADELPHIA - The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) has announced its preseason national rankings for the 2025-26 academic year, and University of Pennsylvania junior Esha Velaga will start the year as the highest-ranked Ivy League player in women's singles.

The junior is ranked 78th in the ITA's preseason rankings, which were released on August 26. Velaga is one of just two Ivy League players in the top 125, as Columbia's Gayathi Krishnan is ranked 108th.

Velaga will look to make her third appearance in as many years at the NCAA Singles Championship, which will take place in November. She is already a two-time first-team All-Ivy selection, and as a freshman she was the Ivy League Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year.

Penn will begin the fall portion of its season at the Tribe Invitational, hosted September 13-14 by the College of William & Mary.