Peyton Stearns, a Mason native and University of Texas sophomore, defeated Connie Ma of Stanford, 6-3, 6-2, in Saturday's final of the NCAA Singles Championships at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex to become the first Longhorns women's tennis player ever to claim the NCAA singles title.
Stearns was born and raised in Mason. She went to grade school at St. Margaret of York and took online classes in high school.
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Stearns is the first woman to win the NCAA team and singles title in the same year since Nicole Gibbs of Stanford in 2013, per texassports.com. Stearns also reached the NCAA Doubles Quarterfinals with partner Allura Zamarripa.
Stearns finished her sophomore season with a 33-2 overall record in singles play.
Stearns, who grew up five miles from the Lindner Family Tennis Center, made her first appearance at Mason's Western & Southern Open last August after she was awarded a wild card into the singles qualifying draw. She lost her debut at the tournament in a women's singles qualifying match against Su-Wei Hsieh.
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