Francesca De Matteo has committed to continuing her academic and athletic career with the Hornets beginning with the 2026-27 season. Photo courtesy of Sacramento State Athletics

SACRAMENYO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Sacramento State head women’s tennis coach Sophie Breault announced April 14 that Francesca De Matteo has committed to continue her academic and athletic career with the Hornets beginning with the 2026-27 season.

“We are thrilled to welcome De Matteo to our Hornet family,” Breault said. “She brings so much passion and energy to her game, along with a strong competitive mindset. De Matteo possesses a well-rounded, all-court game in singles and is also an outstanding doubles player, adding valuable depth to our lineup. She will be a fantastic addition and we expect her to make an immediate impact as we compete for Big West Conference championships.”

A native of Naples, Italy, who attended the G. Mazzini secondary school is the second signee for the program this year, joining South Africa’s Jessica Schilz, who officially committed to Sacramento State back in November.

Over the last two years, De Matteo has earned a spot in the prequalification rounds for the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in both singles (2025) and doubles (2026) at the Foro Italico in Rome, a tournament that features some of the top international players and is known as one of the premier clay-court tournaments in the world.

She reached the final in singles in one of the prequalification tournaments in 2025 and won a doubles championship in another one of the events alongside her partner in 2026.

De Matteo, who has been ranked as high as No. 905 in the ITF junior rankings, also received a wild card for the Internazionali Femminili di Tennis Città di Caserta in both 2024 and 2025, an yearly event that features some of the top up-and-coming talent and established players on the Interntaional Tennis Federation circuit.

Among her best results during her juniors career, she has reached the semifinals in singles of a pair of J5 events in Dakar and Croatia and another semifinal of a J60 tournament in Dakar.

In doubles play, she claimed a title at a J5 tournament in Cyprus and reached the final three times of tournaments in Bari, Paola, and Livorno in her home country.

In addition, De Matteo has also represented Italy as part of the national team for European Summer and Winter Cups in 2019 and 2020.