River Forest, Ill. - It's a wrap for the Concordia University Chicago (CUC) Cougars women's tennis team as they have officially ended their regular season of the 2025 fall schedule. The Cougars finished with an overall record of 1-13, including a 1-7 mark in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play.

Season Recap

The 2025 season presented a significant challenge for the young Cougars squad. The team's opening match, an 8-1 victory over Waubonsee Community College on September 4th, was played as an exhibition and did not count toward the official record, but showed promise to what the Cougars were capable of throughout the season to come.

The team officially started the year with a 7-0 loss to Lawrence University and faced immediate NACC challenges, falling to Milwaukee School of Engineering (L, 7-0) and Illinois Institute of Technology (L, 7-0).

The turning point that showcased the team's fight came in a close 4-3 NACC defeat to Marian University on September 13th.  The dynamic duo of Amelia Engelman (McKinney, Texas) and Amirah Shakir (Dekalb, Ill.) put up the first point of the day for the Cougars in a close 7-6 battle. Also contributing points in their singles matches were Engelman, Arriyanna Amison (Dolton, Ill.), and Courneye Schneider (Plainfield, Ill.). Although the Cougars were only able to win three points in the narrow loss, they demonstrated their ability to compete for individual lines.

The remainder of the schedule featured a challenging non-conference slate with shutouts against Cornell College (L, 7-0), Wartburg College (L, 7-0), Illinois College (L, 7-0), and Illinois Wesleyan University (L, 7-0).

In the second half of the NACC schedule, the Cougars continued to fight for points. They secured one point in a 6-1 loss to Concordia University Wisconsin and then earned one point in a 6-1 loss to St. Norbert College, followed by another point in a 6-1 loss to Ripon College on the same day. In those matches, the lone points came from Engelman who outplayed her opponents in their singles match. While the Cougars were later shut out by Edgewood University (L, 7-0), they secured two points in a strong 5-2 effort against Wisconsin Lutheran College. The duo of Engelman and Shakir again showed their strength where they dominated their doubles match with a 6-2 victory. Schneider and Amison also found success in their doubles match where they won 6-1.

The Cougars' single victory, which also served as their only NACC win, came in the season finale against Lakeland University, winning 5-2. Engelman and Shakir set the tone for the match with their doubles win, 6-2. Also winning in their doubles match were freshman duo Hannah Upole (Hinkley, Ohio.) and Sarah Gustafson (Merrill, Wis.) who won 6-4. Showing grit in their singles matches, Kathleen Castillo (Elmwood Park, Ill.), Upole, Amison, and Schneider all won their matches. Castillo and Upole had dominating performances where finals scores were 6-1, 6-0, and 6-2, 6-1, respectively. Amison had a harder battle where she had to go into extra points, where the finals score was 6-3, 7-6, but Schneider cleaned it up in her match where both sets were a 6-3 victory.

The team finished the season with an overall record of 1-13 and a conference record of 1-7.

Post-Season Honors

Junior Amelia Engelman earned the sole spot for the Cougars after an impressive season. Engelman was the Cougars' dominant force in the number one singles position. She concluded the season with a 6-7 singles record and a 3-9 doubles record. 

Returners

Despite a tough season, the young team will welcome everyone back next season. Engelman and Shakir will lead the team as they enter their senior seasons with the Cougars. The team's dedication and growth throughout the year shows opportunity for great accomplishments in the future.

Top Win Numbers of the Season

Amelia Engelman - Six singles; Three doubles

Amirah Shakir - Three doubles

Courtneye Schneider - Two singles; Three doubles

Arriyanna Amison - Two singles; Three doubles

What's Next

The Cougars are currently scheduled to be back on the court for a non-conference match against Saint Mary's University (Minn.) on March 1, 2026, as part of their spring competition slate. To stay up to date on everything CUC women's tennis, follow them on X and Instagram @cuchicagotennis. Coverage for all of our sports can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.