Women’s tennis reloads with five additions to the roster
8/27/2026 5:39:00 PM | Women's Tennis
MISSOULA – A Missoula native is coming home to join the Grizzlies.
University of Montana women's tennis head coach Steve Ascher announced the addition of five players to the Grizzlies' 2026 roster, highlighted by Missoula native Remi Demblans-Dechans, who returns to her hometown to continue her tennis career at Montana.
The incoming class also includes transfer Emma Marais, who helped her team win a conference championship last year, plus true freshmen Kamila Suneeva, Allison Crane and Rebecka Jerlardtz. The five additions bring young talent to a Grizzlies squad that saw three players graduate following last season.
"It's honestly a really good class," Ascher said. "It's diverse, it has some players that are different, but they all have different styles and different strengths and then overall, they are really good kids."
Demblans-Dechans becomes one of the few Montana natives to play Division-I college tennis. A Missoula native, she attended Tompkins High School in Texas, where she continued to develop her game through Texas tennis academies before returning to her hometown to play for Montana.
"She's a great human. She comes from a really cool family, locally, and so again, it's really special across the board for all our sports if we get Missoula or Montana kids," Ascher said.
"You're proud that a person can come from here, put the effort in and get a chance to play here," Ascher said.
During her high school career, Demblans-Dechans was a four-time district champion and a three-time state qualifier. She finished third at the state tournament in 2026 and was named team MVP while also serving as team captain. From 2022-25, she helped lead her team to an undefeated district record.
Demblans-Dechans has also won numerous junior tournaments and competed in all five USTA Level 1 junior tournaments across multiple age groups.
After developing her game in Texas, Demblans-Dechans said returning to her hometown and joining the Grizzlies made Montana the right fit.
"I chose Montana because I was born and raised in Missoula and there truly no place like home. The coaching staff believed in me, the team felt like a family, and I knew it was a place where I could grow both as a player and as a person.
"The overall community and the support that comes from that made me feel so welcome, as well as the opportunity to compete at a high level made it an easy decision," Demblans-Dechans said.
She plans to study business marketing and international business at the University of Montana, with the goal of building a career that allows her to travel the world.
Marais joins the Grizzlies after spending her freshman season at Saint Francis University. During her time with the Red Flash, Marais helped the team capture a Northeast Conference championship and went undefeated at No. 2 doubles during the NEC Tournament. She was also named to the NEC Second Team All-Conference in doubles following her freshman season.
Marais finished her freshman season with a 23-14 doubles record at Saint Francis and was ranked No. 81 nationally in doubles by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association during the fall.
"I had the chance to talk to her coach, and he was super complimentary of her and her work ethic and how she wants to approach tennis. Things lined up, and I'm like, 'This is somebody we want," Ascher said.
Marais said the recruiting process helped her get a feel for the program and the people she would be joining in Missoula.
"I chose University of Montana because of the people and the culture. While going through the recruiting process I had a good feeling about Steve and my future teammates.
"I felt that continuing my athletic and academic career at Montana was the right decision for me and I can't wait to be part of the Griz family," Marais said.
At Montana, Marais plans to study biology with the goal of attending veterinary school and becoming a veterinarian.
Suneeva enters Montana as a top-100-ranked doubles player in Russia and has competed in some of the country's highest-level tournaments.
"She's a hardworking kid, really driven, really wants to succeed, and she seems like a really good person. She kind of checks all the boxes," Ascher said.
Suneeva is also a multisport athlete, having competed in club-level soccer with Miras in Russia. She helped the team finish second at the regional level.
"What first drew me to Montana was the opportunity to grow as a tennis player and as a person, to compete at the highest level and to get a great education.
"Coach Ascher's vision meant a lot to me, and so did how open and supportive he was at every stage of the admissions process. I also asked about the University and Coach Ascher, and once I had confirmed that this was the right choice I chose Montana.
"And, of course, Montana is stunning," Suneeva said.
At Montana, Suneeva plans to study health and exercise science. Her long-term goal is to break into the Women's Tennis Association Top 100. Eventually, she hopes to open a business that helps athletes from different countries develop their skills and compete at the highest level.
Crane graduated from Alamo Heights High School in Texas, where she played at the No. 1 position for four years. During team season, she lost just one 5A match and helped lead her team to a district title while dropping only one game throughout the season.
"When you have a chance to talk to a player and they're good, from Texas, you're like, 'All right, I'm going to put my focus into this one because they're typically pretty good,'" Ascher said.
Crane also competed in multiple USTA Level 1 national tournaments, won multiple ITF doubles titles and captured a USTA National Level 2 team event. She has also played tennis in more than 10 countries.
"I knew immediately after my official visit to the University of Montana that it was the place for me. The players, trainers, and coaches were incredibly welcoming, and I could immediately feel the strong sense of community within the program.
"I loved the emphasis on getting a little better every day, both on and off the court. I knew Montana would give me the opportunity to accomplish my goals academically, athletically, and personally.
"It had everything I was looking for, a big-time school and competitive athletic program while still having that close-knit, small-community feeling. I couldn't be more excited to attend the University of Montana and be a part of Griz Athletics," Crane said.
At Montana, Crane plans to study business and entrepreneurship.
Jerlardtz joins the Grizzlies from Sweden, bringing another international player to Montana's incoming class. She becomes the fifth international player on the Grizzlies' roster.
In 2024, Jerlardtz finished second in doubles at the Swedish Outdoor Championships for girls 18-and-under in Båstad.
She also competed at the club level in Copenhagen, where she played in the No. 1 singles and doubles positions. During the 2024-25 season, she helped her club win the Division 1 series with an 11-3 record and was named the Division 1 MVP.
Jerlardtz continued her success in 2026, winning the Vintertour in Malmö, one of Sweden's highest levels of senior tennis competition.
Ascher said Jerlardtz's approach to the game and desire to continue improving stood out to him.
"She trains well, she's athletic, she wants to get better, she wants to improve, she's driven, she's passionate and she's a great human," Ascher said.
Jerlardtz said the opportunity to continue her tennis career while experiencing something new ultimately made Montana the right choice.
"I felt that Montana was the right place for me because it offered the perfect combination of a strong tennis program, a great academic opportunity, and a completely new experience for me.
"I also really liked the beautiful surroundings in Missoula and the opportunity to experience the U.S. Coming from Sweden I was excited about stepping out of my comfort zone and Montana felt like a great place to grow both as a tennis player and as a person," Jerlardtz said.
Jerlardtz plans to study finance while at UM.
The Grizzlies open the fall tournament season Sept. 11 at Washington State's Cougar Classic.
University of Montana women's tennis head coach Steve Ascher announced the addition of five players to the Grizzlies' 2026 roster, highlighted by Missoula native Remi Demblans-Dechans, who returns to her hometown to continue her tennis career at Montana.
The incoming class also includes transfer Emma Marais, who helped her team win a conference championship last year, plus true freshmen Kamila Suneeva, Allison Crane and Rebecka Jerlardtz. The five additions bring young talent to a Grizzlies squad that saw three players graduate following last season.
"It's honestly a really good class," Ascher said. "It's diverse, it has some players that are different, but they all have different styles and different strengths and then overall, they are really good kids."
Demblans-Dechans becomes one of the few Montana natives to play Division-I college tennis. A Missoula native, she attended Tompkins High School in Texas, where she continued to develop her game through Texas tennis academies before returning to her hometown to play for Montana.
"She's a great human. She comes from a really cool family, locally, and so again, it's really special across the board for all our sports if we get Missoula or Montana kids," Ascher said.
"You're proud that a person can come from here, put the effort in and get a chance to play here," Ascher said.
During her high school career, Demblans-Dechans was a four-time district champion and a three-time state qualifier. She finished third at the state tournament in 2026 and was named team MVP while also serving as team captain. From 2022-25, she helped lead her team to an undefeated district record.
Demblans-Dechans has also won numerous junior tournaments and competed in all five USTA Level 1 junior tournaments across multiple age groups.
After developing her game in Texas, Demblans-Dechans said returning to her hometown and joining the Grizzlies made Montana the right fit.
"I chose Montana because I was born and raised in Missoula and there truly no place like home. The coaching staff believed in me, the team felt like a family, and I knew it was a place where I could grow both as a player and as a person.
"The overall community and the support that comes from that made me feel so welcome, as well as the opportunity to compete at a high level made it an easy decision," Demblans-Dechans said.
She plans to study business marketing and international business at the University of Montana, with the goal of building a career that allows her to travel the world.
Marais joins the Grizzlies after spending her freshman season at Saint Francis University. During her time with the Red Flash, Marais helped the team capture a Northeast Conference championship and went undefeated at No. 2 doubles during the NEC Tournament. She was also named to the NEC Second Team All-Conference in doubles following her freshman season.
Marais finished her freshman season with a 23-14 doubles record at Saint Francis and was ranked No. 81 nationally in doubles by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association during the fall.
"I had the chance to talk to her coach, and he was super complimentary of her and her work ethic and how she wants to approach tennis. Things lined up, and I'm like, 'This is somebody we want," Ascher said.
Marais said the recruiting process helped her get a feel for the program and the people she would be joining in Missoula.
"I chose University of Montana because of the people and the culture. While going through the recruiting process I had a good feeling about Steve and my future teammates.
"I felt that continuing my athletic and academic career at Montana was the right decision for me and I can't wait to be part of the Griz family," Marais said.
At Montana, Marais plans to study biology with the goal of attending veterinary school and becoming a veterinarian.
Suneeva enters Montana as a top-100-ranked doubles player in Russia and has competed in some of the country's highest-level tournaments.
"She's a hardworking kid, really driven, really wants to succeed, and she seems like a really good person. She kind of checks all the boxes," Ascher said.
Suneeva is also a multisport athlete, having competed in club-level soccer with Miras in Russia. She helped the team finish second at the regional level.
"What first drew me to Montana was the opportunity to grow as a tennis player and as a person, to compete at the highest level and to get a great education.
"Coach Ascher's vision meant a lot to me, and so did how open and supportive he was at every stage of the admissions process. I also asked about the University and Coach Ascher, and once I had confirmed that this was the right choice I chose Montana.
"And, of course, Montana is stunning," Suneeva said.
At Montana, Suneeva plans to study health and exercise science. Her long-term goal is to break into the Women's Tennis Association Top 100. Eventually, she hopes to open a business that helps athletes from different countries develop their skills and compete at the highest level.
Crane graduated from Alamo Heights High School in Texas, where she played at the No. 1 position for four years. During team season, she lost just one 5A match and helped lead her team to a district title while dropping only one game throughout the season.
"When you have a chance to talk to a player and they're good, from Texas, you're like, 'All right, I'm going to put my focus into this one because they're typically pretty good,'" Ascher said.
Crane also competed in multiple USTA Level 1 national tournaments, won multiple ITF doubles titles and captured a USTA National Level 2 team event. She has also played tennis in more than 10 countries.
"I knew immediately after my official visit to the University of Montana that it was the place for me. The players, trainers, and coaches were incredibly welcoming, and I could immediately feel the strong sense of community within the program.
"I loved the emphasis on getting a little better every day, both on and off the court. I knew Montana would give me the opportunity to accomplish my goals academically, athletically, and personally.
"It had everything I was looking for, a big-time school and competitive athletic program while still having that close-knit, small-community feeling. I couldn't be more excited to attend the University of Montana and be a part of Griz Athletics," Crane said.
At Montana, Crane plans to study business and entrepreneurship.
Jerlardtz joins the Grizzlies from Sweden, bringing another international player to Montana's incoming class. She becomes the fifth international player on the Grizzlies' roster.
In 2024, Jerlardtz finished second in doubles at the Swedish Outdoor Championships for girls 18-and-under in Båstad.
She also competed at the club level in Copenhagen, where she played in the No. 1 singles and doubles positions. During the 2024-25 season, she helped her club win the Division 1 series with an 11-3 record and was named the Division 1 MVP.
Jerlardtz continued her success in 2026, winning the Vintertour in Malmö, one of Sweden's highest levels of senior tennis competition.
Ascher said Jerlardtz's approach to the game and desire to continue improving stood out to him.
"She trains well, she's athletic, she wants to get better, she wants to improve, she's driven, she's passionate and she's a great human," Ascher said.
Jerlardtz said the opportunity to continue her tennis career while experiencing something new ultimately made Montana the right choice.
"I felt that Montana was the right place for me because it offered the perfect combination of a strong tennis program, a great academic opportunity, and a completely new experience for me.
"I also really liked the beautiful surroundings in Missoula and the opportunity to experience the U.S. Coming from Sweden I was excited about stepping out of my comfort zone and Montana felt like a great place to grow both as a tennis player and as a person," Jerlardtz said.
Jerlardtz plans to study finance while at UM.
The Grizzlies open the fall tournament season Sept. 11 at Washington State's Cougar Classic.
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