BARTLESVILLE LADY BRUINS WIN TENNIS REGIONALS; BEGIN CLASS 6A STATE TOURNAMENT ON FRIDAY
The Bartlesville Bruins girls’ tennis team begins Class 6A state tournament play Friday in Oklahoma City. They won the regional championship for the second consecutive year on Monday at Union.
Courtesy photo
By Becky Burch
May 8, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
For the second consecutive year, the Bartlesville High School girls’ tennis team is on its way to the Class 6A state tournament, which runs Friday and Saturday at the Oklahoma City Tennis Center.
The Lady Bruins secured the regional championship Monday at Union, outlasting powerhouse programs from Union, Broken Arrow, and Owasso to clinch the team title. During the 2025 state tournament, the Lady Bruins finished in fourth place overall, with Abby Shelley, No. 1 in singles, coming in as runner-up
The championship run was fueled by a dominant individual performance from No. 1 singles player Abby Shelley, who took home first place. Shelley, described by head coach Bryan Reese as the heart of the roster, serves as both the team’s top competitor and its emotional spark plug.
"Abby definitely brings the energy," Reese said. "She is the one that the team looks to. She is always dancing and cheering, or just being silly to keep things light."
The Lady Bruins relied on their depth as they secured runner-up finishes across the board. Key second-place performances came from No. 2 singles Sophie Kelly, as well as doubles pairs Claire Auschwitz/Ava Kate Craig and Kayleigh Khan/Dani Rodriguez, all contributing vital points to the team victory.
The final scores looked solid, but Reese said the road there was a long grind from the cold of March to the heat of May.
"I think one thing that people don't see or understand about tennis is the mental and physical grind these kids endure," Reese said. "We may be outside in the elements for 10-plus hours for some tournaments. Tennis is unique in that aspect."
That mental toughness has been the bridge between being a good team and a championship team. According to Reese, the players have learned to navigate the sport’s inevitable mistakes by leaning on past recoveries.
"I feel they handle the mistakes better at this point because they've seen that they can overcome them," Reese noted. "We have lost to teams and then came back to beat them. Individuals have struggled with parts of their game and seen those struggles fade and become reliable."
The Lady Bruins now turn that philosophy to the state tournament.
"I told the girls before Regionals: 'The hard work is done, this is when we get the reward,'" Reese said. "Trust in the work you've put in, trust in your partner and your game, and most of all, have fun."
During last year’s state tournament, the Lady Bruins finished in fourth place overall, with Shelley coming in as a runner-up in singles.
The Bartlesville boys' team will look to mirror the girls' success as they begin their regional play Monday.
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The future of the program also looks bright, as the junior high girls' team recently made a state appearance of its own.
The Bartlesville Bruins junior high girls team recently made a state tournament appearance.
Courtesy photo