All-Area Girls Tennis: Lake Nona’s Aspen Wooten is Sentinel’s Player of the Year

Aspen Wooten racked up 107 victories in her four years as a girls tennis star for the powerhouse Lake Nona High program. None were more gratifying than victory No. 107.

Wooten, in the final match of an illustrious high school career, came from behind to score an overtime victory against Miami Palmetto’s Allesia Franco to clinch the Class 4A state championship for the Lions. Wooten lost the first set 3-6 but bounced back to win the second 6-2 and then dominated a 10-point tiebreaker, winning 10-2 with teammates cheering her on, to wrap up the first FHSAA girls tennis team championship for her school. Lake Nona won 4-0 to cap a perfect season.

The comeback was sweetened by the fact that Wooten lost third-set tiebreakers in the 2024 and 2025 state finals.

Wooten leads the Orland Sentinel’s All-Area Girls Tennis Team and was named the Player of the Year.

“I could have never asked for a bigger, better moment,” she said. “I was able to pull it off this time in that situation. It was such a great way to go out. It brought me to tears.”

Wooten lost only once in the regular season and was undefeated in singles and doubles postseason play as the Lions rolled to their long-sought first girls tennis state team title. Lake Nona girls teams were state runners-up in 2011, 2019, 2024, 2025 and watched Lake Nona’s boys teams win FHSAA titles in 2022 and 2025.

“For us to win in my final high school match was so big because I shared that moment with my tennis family,” Wooten said. “We all worked together in the offseason, starting in October to build that cohesion. I truly believe that the family aspect, whether it was on or off the tennis court, was the difference maker (in winning the state title).”

Wooten was also a four-year starter for Lake Nona’s girls basketball team and was named female athlete of the year for the school. She was a team captain in both sports.

“After coaching for almost 30 years in three sports, I can tell you Aspen is a coach’s dream,” Lake Nona head coach Tom Beard said in the aftermath of the Lions’ perfect season and state championship run. “She has been the most coachable player I have ever been around. She has amazing talent and drive to be the best.

“She carries that drive into her responsibilities as a captain and for doing what is best for the team, not just for her. Aspen is exactly why Lake Nona tennis is what it is.”

Wooten is on track to play major college tennis for the Naval Academy. She leaves next month for a year at the Naval Academy Preparatory School, which is located in Newport, Rhode Island — which is also home for the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She will continue to train for tennis with plans to join the Navy team as a member of the 2031 graduate class.

Sentinel Standouts

Ariana Barber, Lake Nona, Soph. 

Lions No. 3 singles player went 14-0 in singles and 8-0 in doubles for the Class 4A state title team.

Authumie Dhaiti, Lake Highland Prep, senior

Highlanders’ No. 1 player was undefeated in regular season matches for a team that finished second in the 2A state tournament.

Jordyn Gomez, Boone, Jr. 

First-year player for Braves went 19-0 before suffering her only loss by injury default in the 4A state tournament.

Boone has twin tennis standouts aiming for FHSAA state tourney | Varsity Weekly

Kylie Lindstrom, The First Academy, Jr. 

Royals No. 1 player was 10-0 in singles and 7-0 in doubles in regular season for 1A state tourney team.

Shrika Moturi, Lake Nona, Sr.

Four-year starter won all of her district, region and state tournament matches. She was 9-1 in singles and 15-1 in doubles for the year.

Ashley Narath, Lake Nona, Soph. 

In her first season of high school tennis Narath was the 4A singles and doubles (with Wooten) state champion for Lions.

Aspen Wooten, Lake Nona girls capture elusive FHSAA tennis state title

Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.