Air Force Women’s Tennis Welcomes Five to Class of 2030

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Entering year three under head coach Taylor Hollander, Air Force Women's Tennis welcomes five freshmen to the program for the 2026-27 season, adding a talented group of newcomers from across the country to the Falcon roster.

The incoming class features Tia Christopulos, Tana Christopulos, Kate Craver, Sofia Garcia and Stephanie Marcheret.

Tia Christopulos | Layton, Utah | Layton High School

Christopulos joins the Falcons after spending a year at the Air Force Academy Preparatory School. A product of Layton High School, Christopulos helped the Lancers to runner-up finishes at the state tournament each year and is ranked within the top eight in the state of Utah for the class of 2025.

Tana Christopulos | Layton, Utah | Layton High School

Christopulos also spent a year at the Air Force Academy Preparatory School before joining the Falcons. During her career at Layton High School, she won state titles from her freshman through junior seasons while competing at No. 2 singles and did not lose a match during her three years of competition. Like her identical twin sister, Tia, Christopulos is ranked within the top eight in Utah for the class of 2025.

Hollander spoke highly of the sisters and the commitment they have already shown to the program.

"I can't talk about one without talking about the other because they are identical twins. From the very beginning, recruiting Tia and Tana was so exciting. Both players are ranked within the top eight in the state of Utah for the class of 2025. I remember speaking with Tana first while Tia was on court and saying how special it is that they have each other to constantly push one another and an automatic training partner every day. They are two of the kindest tennis players I have had the joy of recruiting, but they are also two of the hardest workers. Their dedication to the mission and their desire to be a part of something bigger than themselves here at Air Force has really stood out to me. They spent a year at the Air Force Academy Preparatory School preparing themselves for the challenges of the Academy and putting themselves in the best position to excel as cadet athletes. I have so much respect for the commitment they have already shown and the work they have put in to get here. We are incredibly grateful to officially welcome Tia and Tana into our Falcon family, and I am so excited to see what they accomplish together and individually here at Air Force."

Kate Craver | Coppell, Texas | Pearson Online Academy

Craver arrives at Air Force from Coppell, Texas, and is ranked No. 16 in the state of Texas for the class of 2026. She was the Falcons' first commitment of the incoming class and brings a powerful all around game to Air Force.

"Kate actually reached out to us because she was interested in serving her country and had a dream of flying someday," Hollander said. " She is ranked No. 16 in the state of Texas for the class of 2026, which is one of the strongest tennis states in the country. Kate has a reputation as a top player, but she also has a very humble personality and a great work ethic. From the start of BCT, it was clear that Kate came into this process ready for anything the Academy could throw at her. Kate is the first to volunteer for any activity and is the type of player who can adapt to just about any situation. She doesn't shy away from challenges, and I think that is going to serve her really well here at Air Force. She was our first commitment for the class of 2026, and she brings a big, powerful, all around game that I think is going to fit really well here. I couldn't be happier to have such a great competitor and, more importantly, such a great person joining our team. Kate has already shown how willing she is to embrace the challenges that come with being a cadet-athlete, and we are so excited to have her as part of the Falcon family. I can't wait to see what she accomplishes here at the Air Force."

Sofia Garcia | Woodstock, Ga. | Rivers Academy

Garcia comes to the Academy from Woodstock, Georgia, and is ranked No. 10 in the state for the class of 2026. A product of Rivers Academy, Garcia competed under head coach Jameson Bekeart before spending a year at the Air Force Academy Preparatory School.

"Sofia is ranked No. 10 in the state of Georgia for the class of 2026. She is someone whose results I had followed for some time before reaching out to see if she had any interest in the Air Force Academy. I had only seen her play a handful of times before reaching out, so I was thrilled when she expressed some curiosity about what Air Force had to offer.
During her visit, her personality really stood out to us, and we were so impressed by how excited she was about all of the opportunities and challenges the Academy had to offer. From the leadership opportunities to the jump program, the things that can sometimes scare recruits away were actually the things that drew Sofia toward Air Force. She shows on the court that she is willing to run through a wall to get better and is always open to new challenges. That mentality, along with her personality and excitement for the Academy, is what makes me so excited to have Sofia joining our team. We are incredibly lucky to have her joining the Falcon family, and I can't wait to see what she accomplishes here at Air Force."

Stephanie Marcheret | Syosset, N.Y. | Syosset High School

Marcheret joins Air Force from Syosset, New York, and is ranked No. 6 in the state for the class of 2026. During her career at Syosset High School, Marcheret earned individual all-american, all-state and all-county honors while collecting five varsity letters. She won a Nassau County championship and served as team captain when Syosset captured a New York state championship. Marcheret also earned multiple sportsmanship awards and was ranked No. 90 nationally.

"Stephanie was a player that we came across very late in the recruiting process. She is ranked No. 6 in the state of New York for the class of 2026. From the first call, I knew she would be a great fit for the Academy if we could just get her here. She is very smart, extremely hard working, and has a great routine that she follows every practice to get herself ready and in the zone. As a competitor, Stephanie is a fighter. No matter who she is playing, she brings the same mentality and has routines that she sticks with throughout the entire match. That really stood out to me as a coach because those are the qualities we need at Air Force. She knows how to compete, but she also knows how to stay composed and take care of herself when things get tough. Not only is she a great competitor, but is extremely smart and really enjoys being a leader on a team. She has a lot of qualities that I think are going to translate really well to being a cadet athlete, and we know she is going to thrive here. We are so excited to welcome Stephanie to the Falcon family and can't wait to see what she does here at Air Force."