March 15, 2016
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina women’s tennis rose three spots to No. 9 in this week’s Oracle/ITA Rankings. It is the first top-10 ranking for the Garnet and Black since 1983, when it finished the season at No. 6.
The Gamecocks earned a pair of thrilling victories against top-20 teams this weekend. They topped the defending National Champions, No. 5 Vanderbilt, 4-3, on Thursday for their second win over a top-10 team this spring and first win over a top-5 opponent since 2005. Carolina then defeated No. 19 Kentucky by the same score on Saturday to move to 4-0 versus top-30 foes.
South Carolina is off to its best start since 2009 at 12-2 overall, including a 4-0 start to SEC play for the first time since 2003. Nine of its 12 wins have come against ranked opponents.
South Carolina is one of three SEC teams ranked in the top 10, along with No. 4 Georgia and No. 7 Vanderbilt. In all, eight SEC teams are in the top 25.
Carolina travels to No. 22 Mississippi State and No. 37 Ole Miss this weekend for a pair of matches. The Gamecocks take on the Bulldogs on Fri., March 18, at 4 p.m., before squaring off with the Rebels Sunday at 2 p.m.
