Shelton Captures ITA Carolina Region Rookie of the Year

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Freshman Emma Shelton has been named the ITA Carolina Region Rookie of the Year, as announced today by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

“Emma entered into her freshman campaign motivated to win and eager to improve,” South Carolina head coach Kevin Epley said. “She didn’t miss a beat and improved every single week. Her results were truly remarkable throughout the fall, and she went undefeated in her spring campaign. It’s really an honor to be recognized as Rookie of the Year in such a difficult region. Emma is a terrific young person, and the best is yet to come.”

Hailing from Gainesville, Fla., Shelton had an unblemished 11-0 singles record during the spring with the majority of her matches coming at the No. 3 singles spot. She was ranked a career-high No. 92 in singles when the season ended and ascended as high as No. 12 in the nation in doubles with Silvia Chinellato before the pair finished 24th. Shelton also earned SEC Freshman of the Week in February following wins against Oklahoma State and Coastal Carolina.

In the fall, Shelton won singles titles at the South Carolina Fall Invitational and the SMU Fall Invitational in September. She and Chinellato reached the doubles championship match at the ITA Carolina Regional Championships in October before ending the fall with a No. 18 national ranking together. Prior to the start of spring collegiate competition, Shelton captured the USTA Girls’ 18 Winter Nationals in early January, which combined with her spring dual match record gave her an 18-match unbeaten streak when the season ended.

Shelton went 19-3 overall in singles during her first year with the Gamecocks, the second-most wins on the team. She also led the team in doubles victories with a 19-8 record while going 8-3 in dual matches.

Shelton becomes the third Gamecock to win the region’s Rookie of the Year accolade and first since Gira Schofield in 2006. Katarina Markovski was the first in 1999.