Hamner, Carnicella Earn All-SEC Honors

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Two Gamecocks from the South Carolina women’s tennis team received post season honors, announced by the Southeastern Conference on Wednesday. Sarah Hamner was named to the All-SEC First Team while Kaitlyn Carnicella was tabbed to the All-SEC Second Team.

This is Hamner’s fourth consecutive year being named to the All-SEC First Team. The senior currently leads the team with a 19-10 overall singles record this season with a 10-5 dual match record, all from the No. 1 position. She is 10-7 against ranked opponents which is highlighted by a takedown of the No. 1 singles player in the NCAA at the time, Dasha Vidmanova, when the Gamecocks faced then-No. 1 Georgia in February. Hamner defeated Vidmanova in a three-set comeback, preventing a shutout of the Gamecocks. The accomplishment earned her SEC Player of the Week honors, announced on Feb. 26.

The Colorado native has been ranked in the top 30 in singles and doubles for all eight weeks on ITA, reaching a season high of No. 13 in singles and No. 12 in doubles with Carnicella. Hamner won the ITA East Sectional Championship in singles during the fall season, which booked her a spot in the NCAA individuals for her fourth consecutive season. She advanced to the Round of 32 after defeating No. 73 Eleana Yu of Duke 7-6 (6), 6-4. In March, she surpassed a 100 singles wins tallied during her collegiate career.

Carnicella has a 18-11 overall singles record which includes a 7-5 dual match standing from the No. 2 position. She is 5-6 against ranked opponents, including a dominant 6-0, 6-2 defeat of No. 19 Julia Garcia Ruiz of then-No. 12 Oklahoma. Like Hamner, Carnicella was also ranked on ITA during the entire dual match season with a season high of No. 52 in singles and No. 12 in doubles. She helped lead the Gamecocks to an upset of then-No. 6 Auburn when South Carolina was ranked No. 53 by clinching the match at 4-2 in a three-set comeback victory. The New Jersey native qualified for NCAA Individual Championships alongside Hamner for the first time in her career after making it to the semifinals of the ITA East Sectional Championships back in November.

The Gamecocks find out their post season plans during the NCAA Selection Show on April 28.

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