SURPRISE, Ariz. — IUP women's tennis will make its 12th appearance in the NCAA Division II Round of 16 on Tuesday as the Crimson Hawks face No. 2 seed Grand Valley State in the national championships.

The Crimson Hawks enter the tournament as the No. 15 seed and will look to advance past the Round of 16 for just the second time in program history and the first time since 2021.

The matchup also brings a familiar opponent for IUP athletics fans, as Grand Valley State defeated the Crimson Hawks women's basketball team during its run to the NCAA Division II national championship game earlier this year.

Tuesday's match is scheduled for a 3 p.m. first serve in Surprise, Arizona. Despite the desert setting, conditions are expected to be manageable with temperatures around 88 degrees and cloud cover during the match.

Grand Valley State enters with an 18-1 overall record and a perfect 7-0 mark in the GLIAC. The Lakers also earned the top seed in the NCAA Midwest Regional before advancing to the national finals site.

IUP arrives in Arizona after capturing its seventh NCAA Atlantic Regional pod championship in program history. The Crimson Hawks have won 17 of their last 18 matches entering the national tournament.

The Hawks also earned six All-PSAC selections this postseason, highlighted by freshman Charliz Tabili being named PSAC West Freshman of the Year. The San Diego native made an immediate impact in her first collegiate season, helping anchor both the singles and doubles lineup.

IUP will look to continue its postseason run against one of the top teams in Division II tennis when the Crimson Hawks and Lakers take the court Tuesday afternoon.