University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Signs Three in 2026 Class
November 12, 2025 | Women's Tennis
ATHENS, Ga. — The University of Georgia women's tennis team has signed three players to its 2026 class – Ava Rodriguez, Bella Payne and Nadia Lagaev – head coach Drake Bernstein announced Wednesday morning.
"We are excited to announce our class of 2026 signees. All three of these young ladies will have an impact on this program for years to come with each bringing their own unique skill sets and personalities to the team. Everyone in the Georgia Tennis family is enthusiastic about Ava, Bella, and Nadia's future in Red and Black," said Bernstein.
Ava Rodriguez – Gainesville, Ga
One of the nation's top junior prospects, she is ranked No. 3 in the class of 2026 and has climbed to No. 77 in the ITF Junior World Rankings. The Georgia native also holds a career-high WTA ranking of No. 979, qualified for the main draw of the W100 Macon, and was a quarterfinalist at the USTA National Hard Court Championships this August. Additionally, Rodriguez has been named IMG player of the year.
"I decided to play tennis for Georgia because it's home for me. The program has a great tradition of excellence, with an amazing fan base and a strong culture that supports athletes. The sense of community and pride around Georgia tennis made the perfect fit for me," said Rodriguez.
Bella Payne - Hilton Head Island, S.C.
A standout in the class of 2026, Payne holds a No. 6 national ranking and advanced past the opening round at the US Open Juniors earlier this year. She has been ranked as high as No. 906 in the WTA rankings, was a finalist at the W35 Orlando in May 2025, and boasts a win over the world's top-ranked ITF Junior player.
Nadia Lagaev - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Ranked as high as No. 30 in the ITF Junior World Rankings, she has competed in three of the four Junior Grand Slams and captured six ITF J200 singles titles. She owns a career-high WTA ranking of No. 850 and plans to major in biochemistry and molecular biology.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Bulldogs by following UGA Women's Tennis on X @UGAWomensTennis, on Instagram @UGAWomensTennis, and on Facebook @GeorgiaWomensTennis or check out information online at GeorgiaDogs.com.
"We are excited to announce our class of 2026 signees. All three of these young ladies will have an impact on this program for years to come with each bringing their own unique skill sets and personalities to the team. Everyone in the Georgia Tennis family is enthusiastic about Ava, Bella, and Nadia's future in Red and Black," said Bernstein.
Ava Rodriguez – Gainesville, Ga
One of the nation's top junior prospects, she is ranked No. 3 in the class of 2026 and has climbed to No. 77 in the ITF Junior World Rankings. The Georgia native also holds a career-high WTA ranking of No. 979, qualified for the main draw of the W100 Macon, and was a quarterfinalist at the USTA National Hard Court Championships this August. Additionally, Rodriguez has been named IMG player of the year.
"I decided to play tennis for Georgia because it's home for me. The program has a great tradition of excellence, with an amazing fan base and a strong culture that supports athletes. The sense of community and pride around Georgia tennis made the perfect fit for me," said Rodriguez.
Bella Payne - Hilton Head Island, S.C.
A standout in the class of 2026, Payne holds a No. 6 national ranking and advanced past the opening round at the US Open Juniors earlier this year. She has been ranked as high as No. 906 in the WTA rankings, was a finalist at the W35 Orlando in May 2025, and boasts a win over the world's top-ranked ITF Junior player.
Nadia Lagaev - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Ranked as high as No. 30 in the ITF Junior World Rankings, she has competed in three of the four Junior Grand Slams and captured six ITF J200 singles titles. She owns a career-high WTA ranking of No. 850 and plans to major in biochemistry and molecular biology.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Bulldogs by following UGA Women's Tennis on X @UGAWomensTennis, on Instagram @UGAWomensTennis, and on Facebook @GeorgiaWomensTennis or check out information online at GeorgiaDogs.com.
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