Saturday, 04/25/2020

MALIBU, Calif. – The 13th-ranked Pepperdine women's tennis team welcomed the additions of Lexi Ryngler and Nikki Redelijk to complete a stacked roster for the 2020-21 season.
 
"We are very excited to get Nikki and Lexi to Malibu," head coach Per Nilsson said. "We know they bring a lot of talent to our team and everyone is looking forward to them joining us."
 
Lexi Ryngler | University of Texas | Calabasas, Calif.
Currently ranked #53, Ryngler played in only two of the 4th-ranked Longhorns' dual matches after going 11-3 in the fall season, defeating the likes of Duke's #18 Meible Chi, Florida's #23 McCartney Kessler and Texas A&M's #28 Katya Townsend. Those wins earned her a season-high ranking of #43. 
 
Ryngler returns home to Southern California after graduating from River Oaks Charter High School a year early to begin her college career. Ryngler chose to transfer to Pepperdine because of "the tennis program as well as the location and great academics."
 
Nikki Redelijk | Windermere, Florida
Blue Chip recruit Redelijk joins the Waves after an impressive juniors career where she was ranked in the top 160 in the ITF and won two ITF junior doubles titles. Redelijk was also an 2018 18s Easter Bowl doubles semifinalist, a 2017 16s Hard Court Nationals singles semifinalist and doubles champion, as she also played in the 2017 US Open Juniors. In 2016, Nikki was also a 16s Winter Nationals semifinalist.
 
Redelijk comes from strong tennis bloodline, as her father Ferdinand played at the University of Dallas, mother Lidwien played at Texas Christian and brother Jordi currently plays at Southern Methodist. Nikki "chose Pepperdine for the amazing academics, coaching staff, team and environment."
 
TEAMING UP
The pair of signees joins a historically-impressive Pepperdine team who are currently ranked 13th in the nation. Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center is also home to returning senior and the #1 player in the country in Ashley Lahey, as well as #33 Anastasia Iamachkine and returning senior #35 Jessica Failla.