Gopher Glory: The Dynamic World of University of Minnesota Athletics

University of Minnesota junior Aiva Schmitz (New Auburn, Wis.) has been recognized as one of the 2025 Big Ten Women’s Tennis Players to Watch, as announced today by the Big Ten Conference. This is the first year for the conference’s Players to Watch list in women’s tennis, selected by the coaches of the league. 

Schmitz, who was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week on March 12, 2024, begins her third season with the Golden Gophers. She is the player with the longest tenure on Minnesota’s present roster. Throughout the 2024 fall season, Schmitz recorded a 6-3 record in singles and a 5-3 record in doubles. She has accumulated 42 career singles wins and boasts an International Tennis Federation (ITF) singles ranking of 16.18.

Minnesota will kick off the 2025 spring season on Jan. 18 competing against host Florida Gulf Coast and Middle Tennessee State in Fort Myers, Fla.

 

2025 Big Ten Players to Watch List (as determined by coaches vote)

Mckenna Schaefbauer, Jr., Illinois

Nicole Teodosescu, Jr., Indiana

Tereza Dejnozkova, Jr., Iowa

Kallista Liu, Sr., Maryland

Julia Fliegner, Sr., Michigan

Liisa Vehvilainen, Sr., Michigan State

Aiva Schmitz, Jr., Minnesota

Mika Dagan Fruchtman, Fr., Northwestern

Olivia Symons, Jr., Oregon

Patricia Grigoras, Fr., Penn State

Ece Gencer, Fr., Purdue

Zuzanna Frankowska, So. Rutgers

Anne Christine Lutkemeyer, Jr., UCLA

Grace Piper, Sr., USC

Erika Matsuda, Jr., Washington

Taylor Cataldi, Sr., Wisconsin