Aya El Sayed: Colorado Tennis Star Returns for Final Season | CU Buffs

BOULDER – Colorado Buffaloes tennis player Aya El Sayed is enjoying an unexpected encore to her collegiate career. After suffering a season-ending injury early in the spring, the graduate student from Alexandria, Egypt, was granted another year of competition and has quickly reasserted herself as a key player for the Buffs.

El Sayed initially joined the Colorado program in 2022 after transferring from New Jersey Institute of Technology. In her first season, she immediately became a force, leading the team with a 21-10 singles record, including a dominant 14-2 mark in dual matches, and a perfect 5-0 record in Pac-12 singles play.

The 2023-24 season saw El Sayed take on the challenge of leading the team at the No. 1 singles position, achieving a 9-8 record. She also reached a significant milestone, earning her 100th career win, and consistently ranked in doubles alongside partner Pia Rebec, briefly appearing in the singles rankings at No. 117.

This season, El Sayed has already made an impact, with four of her six victories coming against ranked opponents. Her recent win over Oklahoma State’s Olivia Lincer, ranked No. 53, earned her Big 12 Player of the Week honors on March 10, 2026 – the first such recognition for a Buff since 2010, when Monica Milewski received the award. The last time a Colorado player earned the honor while the team was in the Pac-12 was in 2023, when Antonia Balzert was recognized.

“My main goal coming back is to help the team as much as I can and put us in positions to retain moving forward,” El Sayed said. “There is still a lot to work on, and we are getting better every week.”

Head coach Anthony Pham expressed his excitement about El Sayed’s return. “When Aya decided to arrive back, not just the team but everyone in the athletic department was so excited as of who she is,” Pham said. “She’s such a hard worker, and a great representative of our program and our university.”

In addition to her singles success, El Sayed has partnered with Rebec for five doubles victories and one with freshman Yukiko Ikedo. She described her partnership with Rebec as a positive and enjoyable experience. “Playing with Pia is great,” El Sayed said. “No matter what the score is or how we are doing, we are always smiling, and it’s always a great time. She’s an unbelievable player, and I am lucky to be able to have her as my partner.”

Throughout her time at Colorado, El Sayed has compiled a 56-39 singles record and a 42-25 doubles record, cementing her place in the program’s history. Currently, she ranks 30th in total singles wins (56) and 10th in No. 1 singles wins (16). In doubles, she is tied at 37th for most doubles wins (42), eighth for most doubles wins at the No. 1 position (21), tied at 5th for most No. 1 doubles pair wins with Rebec (14), and 34th for most combined singles and doubles wins (98).

Pham emphasized El Sayed’s leadership qualities. “She’s done such a great job at leading the team,” he said. “She slipped right back in, and we are so grateful she came back to help us through our season this spring.”

El Sayed and the Buffaloes will return to the court this week, facing Texas Tech on Saturday. Live results and further information can be found on the CU Buffs Tennis website.