March 23, 2016

COLUMBIA, S.C. ââ’¬” Sophomore Hadley Berg of the No. 8 South Carolina women’s tennis team has been honored as the SEC Player of the Week, the league office announced Wednesday. It marks the first time in her career she has won the award and the fifth weekly award for the Gamecocks this season.

Berg, who entered the ITA Rankings this week at No. 89, clinched a pair of road wins for the Gamecocks last weekend with dramatic third-set matches against ranked opponents. With South Carolina and No. 22 Mississippi State deadlocked at 3-3, she topped No. 51 Anastasia Rentouli of Mississippi State, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3, to give her team the thrilling 4-3 victory Saturday. The next day, she faced an uphill battle against No. 73 Tea Jandric of Ole Miss, dropping the first set and facing a 2-5 deficit in the third set before mounting an epic rally to get the 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory to clinch the Gamecocks’ ninth straight win. She and teammate Paige Cline also had success in doubles on Sunday, posting a 6-0 triumph of the nation’s No. 27-ranked doubles team from Ole Miss.

The California native has put together a historic spring. She currently sits at 14-0 in dual match play, the best start by a Gamecock since 1995, including a 6-0 mark in the SEC. Her stellar play at the No. 4 position has helped South Carolina to its best start since 1999, a 6-0 start to the SEC for the first time in program history, and its first top-10 ranking since 1983. She also boasts an 8-1 record with Cline at No. 1 doubles.

Berg joins junior Caroline Dailey, freshman Ingrid Gamarra Martins and Cline as Gamecocks honored by the league this spring. Dailey was named SEC Player of the Week in February while Martins and Cline have combined for three Freshman of the Week awards.

South Carolina hosts a top-10 matchup against No. 7 Florida on Sat., Mar. 26, at 1 p.m. at the Carolina Tennis Center. Parking and admission to all home matches are free.