Liberty Women’s Tennis Adds Ilie to 2025-26 Roster
12/1/2025 11:19:00 AM | Women's Tennis
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty women's tennis and head coach Dash Connell have announced the signing of Diana Ilie, who will be joining the team in January. A transfer from Georgia Gwinnett, Ilie carries a decorated junior college career, being named an ITA Doubles All-American last season.
"We are very excited to have Diana join our team! She fit in great with our girls on her visit, we know she will step in right away to compete," Connell said. "It is huge that she brings the experience of winning an NAIA national title last year as well."
Ilie joins Liberty in the midst of her sophomore year. As a freshman, she collected a 10-2 singles record and a 10-3 doubles mark. She played in the Grizzlies' top doubles pairing, primarily with Alexandra Melnikova. She helped lead her squad to its ninth consecutive NAIA Championship, securing the championship by clinching the fourth point in a 7-5, 6-1 triumph.
She competed with Georgia Gwinnett this fall season and showed more promise. Ilie reached the ITA South Regional Final in both the singles and doubles brackets this September.
"We are very excited to have Diana join our team! She fit in great with our girls on her visit, we know she will step in right away to compete," Connell said. "It is huge that she brings the experience of winning an NAIA national title last year as well."
Happy to welcome @diana_ilie80 into our Flames family ??
— Liberty Women's Tennis (@LibertyWTennis) December 1, 2025
January can't come soon enough ?? pic.twitter.com/6zGo4w7WAs
Ilie joins Liberty in the midst of her sophomore year. As a freshman, she collected a 10-2 singles record and a 10-3 doubles mark. She played in the Grizzlies' top doubles pairing, primarily with Alexandra Melnikova. She helped lead her squad to its ninth consecutive NAIA Championship, securing the championship by clinching the fourth point in a 7-5, 6-1 triumph.
She competed with Georgia Gwinnett this fall season and showed more promise. Ilie reached the ITA South Regional Final in both the singles and doubles brackets this September.
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