May 2, 2007

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Sophomore Gira Schofield from the No. 25 University of South Carolina women’s tennis team earned an at-large bid to the 64-person NCAA Singles Championship on Wednesday. She and freshman Ana Marija Zubori are listed as the second alternate for the 32-team NCAA Doubles Championship as well.

Schofield made the singles tournament as a freshman last year, becoming just the second Gamecock in school history to appear in the field as a rookie. The championship draw will be released May 22 and take place over May 23-28 in Athens, Ga.

Below is a look at Schofield’s highlights this season.

• Named to the All-SEC First Team after making the Second Team as a freshman in 2006
• Is just the second player in South Carolina history to earn first-team All-SEC honors
• Currently ranked No. 47 in singles, her highest of the spring, and is No. 35 in doubles
• The seventh-highest nationally ranked singles player in the ITA Southeast Region and 12th-highest in doubles
• Wins against opponents who currently own a national ranking include No. 16 Fani Chifchieva (Auburn), No. 35 Ela Kaluder (Arkansas), No. 37 Ilona Somers (Mississippi), No. 46 Martina Banikova (Mississippi State), No. 75 Kellie Schmitt (Marshall), No. 107 Ashley Joelson (UCLA) and No. 118 Laura Gioia (Furman)
• Is 17-14 overall in singles and 19-13 playing doubles
• Went 13-8 at the No. 1 singles slot and 11-8 at No. 1 doubles
• Posted a 6-5 record against SEC opponents in dual matches