NATCHITOCHES, La. – Lamar University will kick off its 2026 fall schedule Friday with a trip to Natchitoches, La. to compete in the Lady Demon Invitational. The five-team, individual-format tournament will begin Friday at 8:30 a.m. from the Jack Fisher Lady Demon Tennis Complex. The matches will run all day with the final flights beginning at 2:30 p.m.
 
The five teams competing include tournament-host Northwestern State, Sam Houston, LU, Stephen F. Austin and Tyler Junior College. The tournament is scheduled to run through Sunday.
 
The Lady Demon Invitational will be the first of five fall tournaments for the Red and White under first-year head coach Alexandra Starkova, who makes her way to the Golden Triangle after spending the previous four seasons at Louisiana Christian University where she built an NAIA powerhouse.
 
Starkova's roster will consist of six returning letterwinners to go along with two newcomers. The returning veterans are senior Martina Alcaino, junior Arina Gudovskaya, sophomores Eva Gumenyuk, Kate Labenski, Varvara Popadina and Lera Zaginayko, while the newcomers are Livia Espirito Santo and Jevrosima Mitic.