Nov. 18, 2013
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Second-year University of South Carolina women’s tennis head coach Kevin Epley announced the signing of Hadley Berg and Megen Cochran to National Letters of Intent on Monday. Berg and Cochran will join the Gamecocks for the 2014-15 academic year.
Berg has been ranked as high as the No. 52 recruit in the nation in 2013 by TennisRecruiting.net and is currently No. 81. A native of Greenbrae, Calif., Berg is ranked as the No. 13 prospect for the entire state. She is rated a four-star recruit by TennisRecruiting.net and owns an 11-3 record against other four-star prospects this year. Berg has earned four victories versus five-star prospects as well. Berg has also won numerous awards for sportsmanship during her junior career, including the prestigious USTA National Bill Talbert Sportsmanship Award for 2012. Additionally, she claimed awards for sportsmanship at the 2011 Girls’ 16s NorCal Sectional Championships and the 2012 Maze Cup.
“Hadley is a former Orange Bowl finalist in doubles from northern California and probably one of the best junior doubles players I have seen,” Epley said. “She is a talented player–coached by former pro Kim Grant–who has a lot of shot variety. Her mother is a tennis coach as well. We expect her to make an immediate impact in doubles, and as she gets confidence in structuring points in singles, she will become a formidable player.”
Cochran is a five-star recruit by TennisRecruiting.net and stands as the No. 103 prospect in the country. Hailing from Calhoun, Ga., Cochran has been rated as high as No. 40 in the nation this year and was among the top 35 in the nation for 2011 and 2012. She owns a 23-14 record in 2013 that includes a 9-4 record versus four-star recruits and a 4-4 slate against five-star prospects. Cochran finished in third place in doubles at both the USTA Girls’ 16s National Clay Court Championships and the Easter Bowl USTA Girls’ 16s National Spring Championships in 2012.
“Megen is from Georgia and has been coming back from a serious knee injury this year,” Epley said. “Thus, her results have been mixed, but she has a ton of potential. She is a very motivated, strong, and talented player, and I expect her to make an immediate impact as she starts to get her confidence back.”
