Women’s Tennis Signs Four for 2025
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s tennis head coach Kevin Epley announced the signing of four new Gamecocks who are set to join the program in 2025. Bella Bergkvist Larsson arrives in Columbia in the spring of 2025 while Daniela Piani, Jane Dunyon and Sara Børkop will be fall 2025 additions.
Bergkvist Larsson hails from Sweden, coming to South Carolina with a UTR high of 10.14 in singles and 10.26 in doubles. She has a career high ITF juniors ranking of #101 in the world with four ITF juniors singles titles and seven doubles titles under her belt. This past May the Bastad native won the 2024 ITF W35 in doubles in her hometown. Additionally, she has experience at W15, W25, W40 and W50 tournaments. For WTA rankings she sits at #1,083 in singles and #933 in doubles. Bergkvist Larsson has also competed in the Bastad 125K series main draw and was part of the Billie Jean Cup Swedish National Team that tied Great Britain.
“We’re thrilled to have Bella joining our team this January to make an immediate impact this season in both singles and doubles,” Epley commented. “It’s already clear that she’s a dynamic and highly talented player with a complete skill set. Bella is not only a fantastic player but also a wonderful person, and we know she will be an incredible teammate who brings both energy and talent to our program.”
Piani, a United Kingdom native, comes to Columbia with an ITF junior career high ranking of #164, top 10 Great Britain U18 ranking and UTR high of 10.25 in singles. Combined she has 10 ITF juniors titles, six in doubles and four in singles. Following a semifinals appearance in doubles at the ITF Europe W35 last month Piani ranks #1373 WTA in the world. Additionally, her highest win of the year was versus a UTR 11.04 and for her highest career win she faced a WTA #516.
“We are excited to welcome Daniela to our program,” Epley said. “She will bring talent and big explosive game to the our program, and it was clear from her recruiting visit that she is very thoughtful and tennis savvy. Daniela has tremendous potential, and we know she will not only push herself but also elevate the team as a supportive and dedicated teammate.”
Dunyon is a five-star recruit (Tennis Recruiting) from Utah who ranks first in her home state and the mountain region (Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Montana). For UTR she holds a career-high of 9.69 in singles. She is the #508 ITF junior in the world with four ITF junior titles on her resume in addition to experience at multiple ITF W15 and W35 tournaments. Dunyon has ranked as high as #18 in the nation for her graduating class. Her highest win of the year was UTR 10.15, dominating 6-1 and 6-3 while her highest career win was versus a WTA player ranked #657.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jane Dunyon to our program,” Epley stated. “Her hard work, talent and drive to achieve her big dreams align perfectly with our team’s vision. Janes dedication on and off the court promises to be a great asset, and we are excited to support her journey as she pursues excellence in both tennis and life.”
Børkop, one of the top juniors in Denmark, is currently on a three-month trend in UTR of 10.22 in singles. Her highest win of the year against an opponent with 10.25 is currently ranked #42 in ITA and 606 in WTA. She sits at #162 in the world for ITF with three singles and 12 doubles titles. Additionally, she has competed in multiple W15, W25, W40 and W60 tournaments.
“We are excited to welcome Sara to our program next season,” Epley commented. “Sara’s strength, motivation, and relentless work ethic make her a perfect fit for our hardworking culture. She’s a true fighter on the court and brings a level of intensity and determination that will inspire the team. We can’t wait to see the impact she’ll make.”
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