Megan Davies to Return for 2021-22 Season

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Four-year starter Megan Davies from the South Carolina women’s tennis team announced Thursday she is using her extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA following the cancellation of the 2020 spring campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Davies wrapped up her undergraduate career in May earning a degree in advertising with a minor in business.

“Megan is a Gamecock through and through,” head coach Kevin Epley said. “She is a very gritty competitor and has been a consistent performer throughout her career. We are thrilled she elected to come back for her fifth year to help the team reach new heights. I expect her to play high in the lineup in both singles and doubles next season.”

Davies earned a spot on the All-SEC Second Team this season, her first appearance on an all-conference team, after posting a 13-9 record in singles and going 14-11 in doubles. She had an 11-5 record playing the No. 2 singles position and went 10-8 on court one for doubles. Davies was ranked as high as No. 30 nationally in singles and set a career-high by climbing to No. 13 in doubles with partner Mia Horvit. After helping the Gamecocks reach the semifinals of the SEC Tournament with a 2-0 record in singles and a 2-1 mark in doubles, Davies was named to the SEC All-Tournament Team. Davies also earned her first SEC Player of the Week honor during the season. In another first this spring, Davies participated in both the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships.

After spending her first two seasons playing primarily in the bottom half of the singles lineup and at No. 3 doubles, Davies made huge leaps in her game during fall 2019. She entered the season ranked No. 125 but finished at No. 28 after advancing to the semifinals of both the ITA Carolina Regional Championships and the ITA Fall National Championships. Davies reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 20 in February 2020 and was ranked No. 25 in the final published poll of the COVID-shortened season. She played the majority of spring 2020 at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles.

Davies will look to leave her name etched all over the Gamecocks’ record book next season. With 82 career singles victories, she will have a chance to become just the fourth player in school history to hit the 100-win plateau. Davies also has 81 doubles wins, which is already tied for seventh in school history, and just one other Gamecock has reached the 100-win mark for doubles. She is 20 doubles wins away from tying Lynn-Yin Tan’s school record of 101. Davies’ 163 combined victories is 11th in South Carolina history, and Davies will have a shot to equal or surpass the 204 matches won by record holder Tan, who starred for the Gamecocks from 1998 to 2002.

“There is nowhere else I would rather play than here at UofSC,” Davies said. “Next year, I will be pursuing a master’s while continuing to compete for the Gamecocks. I know this team is going to continue to accomplish great things and I am super excited to be a part of it again! Go Gamecocks!”

Davies is set to pursue a Master of Mass Communication with an emphasis in strategic communication management from the College of Information and Communications.