Cougars Add Alexia Lavinia Puiac in 2026
10/21/2025 10:17:00 AM | Tennis
Tennis adds top-level talent ahead of spring season
HOUSTON – The University of Houston Tennis team welcomes Alexia Lavinia Puiac ahead of the 2026 season, head coach Katarina Adamovic announced Tuesday.
We are thrilled to welcome Alexia to Houston, Adamovic said. She's one of the top players coming out of Europe right now, and her competitive spirit and drive align perfectly with our program's culture. Alexia has already proven herself on the international stage, and with her experience, we can't wait to see the immediate impact she'll make this spring.
Lavinia Puiac brings a current top-10 ITF ranking, slotted at No. 7. She reached as high as No. 5 on the ITF World Tennis Tour which is the worldwide professional ranking that serves as the pathway to the WTA Tour.
On the WTA Tour, she is ranked No. 1309 in singles and has reached a career-best WTA doubles ranking of No. 1066.
The Cluj-Napooca, Romania, native has twice been selected to represent Romania's Junior National Team. Lavinia Puiac is a three-time Romanian National Champion with one singles and two doubles titles.
Lavinia Puiac adds to a Houston roster that returns five student-athletes from last season including junior Valeriia Krokhotina, who led the team in singles victories. The Cougars also welcomed senior Chems Doha Zeghlouli (Paris, France) and junior Petja Drame as two impact transfers over the summer.
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