Cal Kicks Off 2025 in Paradise: Aloha from Hawaii!

Mao Mushika – who last competed in NCAA singles and doubles in Texas – begins 2025 in Hawaii.

WTEN1/2/2025 4:07 PM | By: Cal Athletics

Following a strong conclusion to the initial part of the season, the California women’s tennis team commences 2025 at the Rainbow Wahine Spring Invitational from Friday to Sunday at the University of Hawaii Tennis Complex. The Golden Bears will compete against host Hawaii and UCLA in both singles and doubles during this annual event.
 
Matches will initiate at 11 a.m. PT on Friday, 4 p.m. PT on Saturday, and 11 a.m. PT on Sunday.
 
Rainbow Wahine Spring Invitational
When: Jan. 3-5
Where: UH Tennis Complex, Honolulu, Hawaii
ITA Tournament Site
 
Current Rankings
Cal secured six rankings – four in singles and two in doubles – in the ITA polls published on Dec. 3. Senior Katja Wiersholm – who achieved her first singles All-America designation in the fall – is positioned 35th in singles, senior Lan Mi is 63rd, sophomore Mao Mushika is 71st and junior Berta Passola Folch ranks 81st. In doubles, the duo of Mushika and senior Jessica Alsola is ranked 24th, while Mi and Passola Folch are in 48th place.
 
NCAA Individual Championships Summary
Katja Wiersholm’s All-America season concluded Cal’s participation in the NCAA individual championships in November at Baylor. The experienced Bear advanced to the NCAA Singles Championship round of 16, marking the best performance of her career. She was among four Bears – including Lan Mi, Jessica Alsola, and Mao Mushika – who participated in Waco, Texas, with Mi and Mushika making their singles debuts and achieving first-round victories. Cal also tied for the highest number of participants (3) in the NCAA singles category.
 
Cal triumphed in its first-round singles matches, with Wiersholm defeating Wichita State’s Xin Tong Wang 4-4 (ret.), Mi overcoming South Carolina’s Kaitlyn Carnicella 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, and Mushika defeating Auburn’s 82nd-ranked Angella Okutoyi 6-3, 6-2. In the second round, Wiersholm outlasted South Carolina’s 10th-ranked Sarah Hamner 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(6), while Mi lost to Ohio State’s 23rd-ranked Luciana Perry 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 and Mushika fell 6-2, 6-2 to Stanford’s fourth-ranked Connie Ma. During the round of 16, Wiersholm – who achieved All-America status by reaching that stage – was defeated by Auburn’s 32nd-ranked DJ Bennett 7-6(5), 6-3.
 
Alsola and Mushika – who had previously participated in the NCAA Doubles Championship with different partners – gained additional experience together in their inaugural season as a doubles pair by qualifying for the national tournament. Unfortunately, the duo was eliminated by UCLA’s top-seeded Kimmi Hance and Elise Wagle 6-3, 6-3 in the first round.
 
Upcoming Events
The Bears will host their annual Cal Winter Invitational from Jan. 10-12 in Berkeley.
 
Stay Informed
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