The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Women’s Tennis signs Taisiya Pachkaleva
08.11.2022 | Women's Tennis
Pachkaleva spent the previous two years at Pepperdine and will join the Longhorns for the upcoming 2022-23 season.
AUSTIN, Texas — Taisiya Pachkaleva (Moscow, Russia) has signed an Athletic Scholarship Agreement (ASA) to play tennis at The University of Texas, head coach Howard Joffe announced Thursday. Pachkaleva, who played the last two seasons at Pepperdine University, will join the Longhorns for the upcoming 2022-23 season.
"Taya's enrollment is a big deal for the direction and trajectory of our team," Joffe said. "I've had the opportunity to see her play during her stellar junior career and then, of course, admire her skill, smarts and competitive prowess from a distance during her first two collegiate seasons. What I have learned during her recruitment is that the person behind the player is blessed and resourced in ways that are so powerful. Taya is emotionally intelligent beyond her years, her intellect is a wonder to behold, and she is valued and principled in a way that is awe inspiring. I will work diligently alongside her and our staff to make her experience on the Forty Acres rich, valuable and productive for her future."
Pachkaleva has a current UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) of 10.76. The UTR is a global tennis player rating system intended to produce an objective, consistent and accurate index of players' skill in the game of tennis. She also achieved a career-high WTA (Women's Tennis Association) singles ranking of No. 538 on Aug. 10, 2020.
During her two seasons with the Waves, Pachkaleva registered a 45-10 career singles mark (37-8 dual-match) and a 34-16 career doubles record (31-13 dual-match). A two-time All-West Coast Conference selection in singles and two-time ITA Scholar-Athlete selection, she helped lead Pepperdine to the NCAA Championship Match as a freshman in 2021 and the NCAA Quarterfinals as a sophomore in 2022.
As a sophomore in 2022, Pachkaleva posted a 19-8 overall singles record (11-6 dual-match) and was No. 49 in the final ITA national singles rankings. She earned All-WCC honorable mention accolades in singles and was selected to the NCAA Singles Championship but was forced to withdraw due to injury. Pachkaleva also went 17-9 overall in doubles (14-6 dual-match) and claimed WCC All-Academic first-team honors and ITA Scholar-Athlete recognition. Pepperdine registered a 23-7 dual-match record, reached the NCAA Quarterfinals and was No. 8 in the final ITA national team rankings. The Waves won the WCC regular-season title (7-0 record) and the WCC Tournament championship.
In her freshman season in 2021, Pachkaleva posted a 26-2 overall singles record (26-2 dual-match) and was No. 66 in the final ITA national singles rankings. She earned ITA Southwest Region Rookie of the Year and WCC Freshman of the Year honors in addition to All-WCC first-team recognition in singles and second-team accolades in doubles. Pachkaleva also went 17-7 overall in doubles (17-7 dual-match) and was No. 37 in the final ITA national doubles rankings. She was a two-time WCC Doubles Team of the Week selection (April 20 and April 27), a one-time WCC Singles Player of the Week (April 20) and claimed ITA Scholar-Athlete recognition. Pachkaleva earned the clinching point in the Waves' 4-3 upset of No. 1 North Carolina in the NCAA Semifinals with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 win over No. 27 Cameron Morra at No. 3 singles. Pepperdine registered a 25-4 dual-match record, reached the NCAA Championship Match for the first time in program history (lost to Texas, 4-3) and was No. 3 in the final ITA national team rankings. The Waves swept the WCC regular-season title (8-0 record) and the WCC Tournament championship.
Prior to her time at Pepperdine, Pachkaleva achieved a career-high ITF (International Tennis Federation) junior singles ranking of No. 32 (Jan. 14, 2019). She claimed five ITF junior singles titles and 12 ITF junior doubles crowns before capturing four ITF 15K doubles championships in 2019.
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