Women's Tennis Signs Nationally-Ranked Linda Huang As Graduate Transfer For 2021-22 Season

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah women's tennis team has signed Linda Huang as a graduate transfer from Rice University. Huang, a 2019 first-team All-Conference USA doubles first-team selection, will join Utah in the fall of 2021 to begin her Ute career. The senior standout is currently ranked #63 in the ITA Top 125 singles rankings in college tennis.

"This is a great day for our program," said Utah head coach Ric Mortera. "To have someone of Linda's caliber choose to join our family and continue her pursuit of her academic and athletic goals here at Utah is going to provide a huge spark for us. She will have an immediate impact on and off the court and we cannot wait to have her here."
This fall, Huang began her senior season at Rice with wins over opponents who were nationally ranked when the 2020 season ended. Huang downed the No. 36 singles player in the nation from LSU and the No. 26-ranked doubles team from LSU. She was named the Conference USA Women's Tennis Athlete of the Month in October.

As a sophomore, the Stratfield, Australia native finished with an 11-6 record in doubles play and ranked as high as No. 37 in the nation. The pair closed the regular season winning their last three matches of the year and eventually went on to earn an All-Conference USA first-team doubles selection. Huang compiled five singles and five doubles wins in the short-lived 2020 season as a junior.

She had a stellar freshman season at Colorado before making the move to Rice, where she found herself ranked nationally three times during the year, including a season-best No. 106 in singles. She finished her freshman campaign with the Buffs at a 20-13 mark in singles, primarily at the No. 1 spot, and 14-8 doubles mark. Her 20 singles wins for Colorado was a team-high in 2018.

Prior to competing on the college stage, Huang attended Meriden School in Stratfield, Australia where she became the first Meriden player to compete in the Australian Open Juniors Grand Slam main draw in 2014. Huang won the gold medal at the International Sports Federation World Tennis Championship in Qatar and was a part of six Tidesley Shield championship teams and was the Tildesley Individual singles champion in 2015.