On Apr. 18, the Lindenwood women’s tennis team wrapped up their 2025-26 season after a OVC Tournament Semifinal loss vs. the SIUE Cougars. 

The Lions improved in the 2025-26 season with a 8-8 record versus their 2024-25 5-10 record, also the team’s first non-losing since the 2021-22 season. For graduate student Sofija Dunisijevic, this was her first season playing tennis at Lindenwood University, after previously playing for the McKendree Bulldogs as an undergraduate student. Dunisijevic shares her experiences with playing tennis for Lindenwood this year, and tennis throughout her life. 

1. How long have you played tennis at Lindenwood, and in general? I have been at Lindenwood University for one year. I joined as a graduate student and competed in my fifth year of college tennis. Overall, I have been playing tennis for 18 years and competed at the national level in my home country. My journey from junior college to Division I tennis has been an amazing experience, and this season has added a lot to it. 

1. What had you decide to play at Lindenwood? What made me choose Lindenwood University was the opportunity to continue my education as a graduate student while also competing at a high level. It was also a chance for me to transition from Division II to Division I tennis, which was something I wanted to experience in my college tennis career. 

1. How do you feel this tennis season compared to other seasons for you and even the team as a whole? This season has been a great experience personally and as a team. For me, it was one of my most rewarding seasons because I adjusted to a new level of competition and had a strong individual record, winning 10 of my 16 singles matches. For the team, it was a historic season because we have achieved the best results since the school became a Division I program. 

1. How will upcoming seasons likely be similar or different compared to this semester’s season? I think upcoming seasons will be similar in the sense that the team now knows what it takes to compete and succeed at this level. The difference is that the younger players now have more experience, so I believe the program can keep improving and set even higher goals moving forward. 

1. What meets do you feel stood out the most this season, for yourself and even the team? The matches that stood out most were the ones where we competed strongly as a team and earned important wins. Playing semifinals of the conference was something that stood out the most. Personally, the matches where I was able to contribute key singles wins meant the most to me. 

1. What players do you feel stood out this season? Honestly, I think everyone contributed in an important way this season. If I had to highlight anyone, I’d say I was especially happy with how our freshman and sophomore performed. They stepped up in a big way and showed a lot of potential for the future of the program. 

1. What are your goals for next season? Since this was my final year of college tennis, I’m looking forward to continuing to play in tournaments while working in my professional field. 

1. Do you plan on continuing tennis post-college? Yes, I would like to continue playing tennis after college in some capacity. Whether that is competitively, coaching, or staying involved in the sport another way, tennis has been a big part of my life, and something I can’t imagine my life without, so I’d like for that to continue.