NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Rachel Sapir-Kahan, the Swensen-McMahon Head Coach of Women's Tennis is thrilled to welcome three newcomers to Yale this fall.
Angela Chen,
Aoife Kuo, and
Katharine Liu arrive to New Haven with standout resumes on the court and in the classroom.
"I think all the players are going to make a positive impact on our team culture, and I'm really excited to watch them grow as both people and players over the next four years," said Sapir-Kahan.
Angela Chen
St. Louis, MO.
Ladue Horton Watkins
Before Yale: 2022 and 2025 Singles State Champions…All-Metro Player of the Year…Member of the 2022, 2023, 2025 Team State Champions.
Personal: Daughter of Lei Chen…Volunteered for Feed My Starving Children…Hobbies also include running, baking, and cooking.
Why Yale? "I chose Yale for the incredibly supportive community and it's perfect balance of competitive sports and academics."
Sapir-Kahan on Chen: "Angela takes real ownership and accountability for her training—qualities that align perfectly with our team culture. She's also an excellent problem-solver, consistently finding ways to neutralize an opponent's strengths while maximizing her own."
Aoife Kuo
Durham, N.C.
K-12 Private Academy
Before Yale: Blue-Chip recruit ranked as high as No. 9 nationally on TennisRecruiting.net, and No. 1 in North Carolina… Singles semifinalist at the National L1 G16 Orange Bowl... National L2 and L3 singles titles… Competed on the ITF Junior Tour for two years, including J500 Merida, J500 Plantation, and J300 Indian Wells… Competed on the ITF Professional Tour for 1.5 years… Advanced through qualifying into the main draw quarterfinals of ITF WTT W15 in Lima, Peru, defeating a top 500 WTA-ranked player en route to earning her first three WTA ranking points.
Personal: Daughter of Anne Buckley and Chay Kuo…Has an older brother studying engineering at NC State… Two uncles came from Ireland to row varsity crew at Yale… Father played college tennis at MIT.
Why Yale? "I was looking for a school that balanced competitive tennis and academics, as well as a good fit socially. When I visited Yale and met the tennis team for the first time, I immediately knew that this was the right place for me."
Sapir-Kahan on Kuo: "Aoife is eager and committed to continuous improvement—exactly what we preach in our program. She uses her slice effectively and is comfortable transitioning to the net, two tools that will serve her well in collegiate tennis."
Katharine Liu
Calgary, Alberta
West Island College
Before Yale: Holds multiple provincial titles…Highest ranking #1 provincially (in Alberta), top 10 nationally… Boston UTR Pro Tennis Tour Champion.
Personal: Daughter of Mandy Shao and Jeffery Liu…Has a brother who is six years younger and plays tennis.
Why Yale? "I felt that Yale was the place where I could thrive both as a student and as an athlete. I loved the campus when I first visited, and meeting the team and coaches only reinforced my belief that it was the best fit!"
Sapir-Kahan on Liu: "Katharine has an exceptional on-court demeanor—calm, composed, and focused. As a lefty with tremendous variety, she's a difficult matchup and brings a style that will translate well to the college game."
