Jan. 4, 2012

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Anya Morgina, Jaklin Alawi and Dijana Stojic of the South Carolina women’s tennis team earned singles rankings in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s first poll of 2012 on Wednesday.

Morgina topped the list at No. 20 after posting a 7-3 record during the fall. Her signature wins came against Petra Niedermayerova of Kansas State, Brynn Boren of Tennessee, Ekaterina Morozova from Kansas and Michigan’s Sam Critser. Morgina held a fall ranking of 30th, while Niedermayerova was 35th, Boren was 31st, Morozova was 76th, and Critser was 48th. The No. 20 ranking is the highest of Morgina’s career and the best by a Gamecock since Ana Marija Zubori started the 2009 campaign ranked 14th.

Alawi checked in at No. 33 after leading the Gamecocks in victories during the fall with an 11-2 record. Her key win during the fall came against Boren from Tennessee and she defeated Amy Barton of Michigan State, who was ranked No. 112 in the fall. Alawi, who was unranked during the fall, also beat Caroline Price from North Carolina. Price did not hold a ranking during the fall but turned in solid results and is ranked No. 55 in the latest rankings.

Stojic is ranked No. 80, the best start to a spring for her career. Her big wins occurred during the qualifying rounds of the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships in October when she first defeated Annie Goransson from California and Shannon Mathews of Notre Dame. Goransson was ranked No. 57 in the fall and Mathews was 38th. Stojic also scored a win over Lauren Mira from Vanderbilt, ranked 110th in the fall and now listed at No. 69.

The first set of team rankings for the spring was also released and has the Gamecocks ranked No. 28. South Carolina finished 2011 ranked 32nd after reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Carolina has made 17 consecutive NCAA Tournaments and opens the season Wednesday, January 25, hosting Furman at 4 p.m.