Saint Mary's University Athletics

WINONA, Minn. — Bailey Edwards (Fond du Lac, Wis.) kicked off her season in impressive style in late September, as the sophomore reached the quarterfinals of the prestigious Wilson/ITA Women’s Division III Championships.

And her performance did not go unnoticed, as Edwards was ranked No. 24 in the first NCAA Central Region rankings, which came out on Tuesday. Edwards became the first SMU women’s tennis player to earn a regional ranking.

At the Wilson/ITA Championships, Edwards opened with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over ninth-seeded Abby Ho of St. Olaf, and followed that up with a 6-2, 1-6, 10-5 victory over Gustavus’ Megan Gaard. In the Round of 16, Edwards continued to shine, racing past Concordia’s Andrea Rognlien 6-3, 6-0 to reach the ITA quarterfinals. In the quarters, however, the Cardinal sophomore’s run came to a screeching halt, as Gustavus’ Sam Frank posted a 6-3, 6-0 victory.