Akli, Hamner Named to CSC Academic All-District Team

Columbia, S.C. – ­South Carolina women’s tennis senior Ayana Akli and sophomore Sarah Hamner were both named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, the organization announced on Tuesday.

The CSC All-District Team recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. First, second, and third-team All-America honorees will be announced on June 1.

Akli, a civil engineering major, has an overall singles record of 31-9 with a 16-3 mark in dual play, all from the top spot in the lineup. She went 22-9 against ranked opponents with 20 wins in the top-100, nine wins in the top-50, and three wins in the top-25. Akli also went on a 17-match win streak beginning during the Carolina Kickoff and extending through the majority of the regular season. She climbed through the singles rankings this season, peaking at a new career-high of No. 6.

In doubles, Akli has an overall record of 22-15 with 11 wins in dual play. She ranked as high as No. 33 in the nation this season with Hamner.

Akli was a two-time SEC Player of the Week and was named to the All-SEC First Team at the conclusion of the season. She clinched four doubles points for the team in dual play as well as clinching three matches in singles.

Hamner has an overall singles record of 19-11 with 7 wins in dual play this season. She earned ten ranked singles wins with four of them in the top-25 and two of them in the top-10. She has ranked as high as No. 6 in the nation in the ITA Singles Rankings.

In doubles Hamner is 20-10 with 12 wins in dual play. Along with Akli she has ranked as high as No. 33 in the nation in doubles.

Hamner clinched four doubles points in dual play this season as well as clinching the match against Wichita State in singles. In the fall, she became the program’s first Carolina Region Champion since 1988 after taking down the reigning Regional Champ in the title match.

Akli and Hamner will both compete later in the month at the NCAA Singles Championship in Orlando, Fla., at the USTA National Campus.

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