Gamecocks Open Spring with Carolina Kickoff
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina women’s tennis will begin spring action this weekend with the hosting of the Carolina Kickoff. The tournament will run Jan. 13-15 at the Carolina Indoor Tennis Center located at 523 Superior Street.
The Gamecocks will compete against players from No. 11 Auburn, No. 23 Wisconsin, and Wake Forest in a weekend of round robin action. Rounds will be played at 10:00 a.m., Noon, 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
The tournament field includes eight players ranked in the ITA singles rankings with four of them in the top-50. South Carolina leads the field with three ranked players, followed by Wisconsin and Auburn with two each and Wake Forest with one.
South Carolina’s full team will compete including No. 4 Sarah Hamner, No. 6 Ayana Akli, and No. 76 Shahar Biran.
Hamner led the team this fall with a 12-3 singles record that included trips to the ITA All-American Championship singles semifinals as well as a run to the ITA Fall National Championship singles quarterfinals.
Akli was close behind Hamner with a singles record that also included a trip to the ITA All-American Championship singles semifinals and ended with a runner-up finish at the ITA Fall National Championships.
Biran saw much of her action in the early fall, recording a ranked singles win over then-No. 44 Casie Wooten of Wake Forest in her second career match as a Gamecock.
Graduate Elise Mills will also compete for the Gamecocks after tallying seven singles wins and five doubles wins in the fall. Additionally, she won the back draw at the Carolina Regional Championships in October.
Misa Malkin, Olympe Lancelot, and Anna Kantor will round out the group for the Gamecocks this season.
Admission to the Carolina Kickoff is free and open to the public. Parking will be available at the Carolina Indoor Tennis Center parking lot. Fans not in attendance can view live streaming here.
For all the latest South Carolina women’s tennis information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockWTennis).
Carolina Kickoff – South Carolina Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 13
10am – singles
NB Noon – doubles
Sunday, Jan. 14
NB 2pm – doubles
NB 3pm – singles
Monday, Jan. 15
NB Noon – doubles
NB 3pm – singles
