College of DuPage women's tennis student-athlete Manuela Sus captured the singles championship at the NJCAA Division III Region 4 tournament on Oct. 9-10, earning Region 4 Player of the Year honors and qualifying for the NJCAA Women's Tennis Championship in May 2027. The Chaparrals finished third overall in doubles competition and secured another national championship opportunity through their tournament performances.

DuPage opened singles play with victories from Sophia Boersma and Martina Ulloa, who each won their opening matches to put the Chaparrals on the scoreboard.

Kathy Johns and Taylor Bakula faced opponents they had previously lost to in straight sets. Johns won the first set before dropping the second and falling 10-6 in the super tiebreaker. Bakula recovered from a first-set loss to win the second but ultimately fell 10-7 in the super tiebreaker.

Sus entered the tournament without the opportunity to play her opening match, leaving her without the usual chance to adjust to the courts and settle into competition. Head coach Jim Bowers and assistant Mark Ververka arranged an unconventional practice session at a nearby school, hitting balls around parked cars to help Sus prepare for her semifinal.

The preparation paid off as Sus defeated her semifinal opponent 6-3, 7-5, earning a place in the championship match and securing her qualification for nationals.

In the final, Sus faced a Sauk Valley opponent she had lost to in straight sets a few weeks earlier. Sus started strong and built a 5-2 lead before her opponent rallied to go ahead 6-5. Sus forced a tiebreaker at 6-6 and dominated the breaker 7-0 to take the opening set.

After dropping the second set 6-0, Sus responded in the decisive super tiebreaker. She used well-placed serves, strong groundstrokes and determined defensive play to pull away for a 10-6 victory and claim the regional singles title.

Coach Bowers praised Sus for navigating the pressure of the championship match and executing her game plan in the decisive moments.

The Chaparrals turned their attention to doubles on the second day, entering competition around fifth place in the team point standings.

DuPage gained ground with several important victories. At third doubles, the Chaparrals received a first-round forfeit against McHenry. Johns and Bakula then rallied against Sauk Valley, dropping the opening set before winning the second 6-0 and taking the super tiebreaker in a close finish.

Jadadic and Sus also won their opening match against Moraine Valley, helping DuPage gain ground in the team standings. Johns and Bakula continued their run with a 4-2 semifinal victory over Lake County.

Although the Chaparrals suffered losses at first and third doubles against Illinois Valley Community College and Moraine Valley, they bounced back with victories in the third- and fourth-place matches against Lake County and Waubonsee, securing a third-place team finish.

"It's remarkable to place in the top three at the D2 level since all of our opponents are on scholarship and our student athletes are just playing for the love of the game, the fun, the pure enjoyment, with only a desire to test themselves," Bowers said.

While DuPage did not finish among the top two teams to qualify its entire roster for the national tournament, Sus earned her place through the singles championship. Jadadic also qualified for national competition, with plans to compete in singles and join Sus in doubles in spring 2027.

Sus' championship marked a historic achievement for the Chaparrals, giving the program its first regional singles champion at the Division II level.

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