No. 25 Women's Tennis Wraps Up Regular Season

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The No. 25 South Carolina women’s tennis team wraps up the regular season as they travel to Starkville, Miss., and then returns home for a Senior Day doubleheader. The Gamecocks will take on the Bulldogs on Thursday at 4 p.m. and host Alabama (noon) and SC State (4 p.m.)

Senior Lauren Friedman will be honored before the Alabama match on court one at the Carolina Outdoor Tennis Center. Pit parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans are also encouraged to use metered lots around the facility.

ITA RANKINGS

• In the latest edition of the ITA Team rankings, South Carolina bounced back into the top-25, clocking in at No. 25 in the nation after two home wins against No. 15 Tennessee and Kentucky.
• This is the ninth consecutive week the Gamecocks have been featured among the best in the country.
• In the ITA Singles rankings, junior Kaitlyn Carnicella jumped up to No. 38 in singles play after back-to-back wins. Sophomore Helena Buchwald moved up nine spots to No. 41 as well.
• Lauren Friedman and Buchwald found themselves in the top 20 in doubles play, coming in at No. 17.

LAST TIME OUT

The Gamecocks snapped a seven-match losing streak with back-to-back wins at home. South Carolina captured an upset win against then-ranked No. 15 Tennessee, 4-1, and then defeated Kentucky, 4-3.

Against the Lady Vols, the Gamecocks grabbed the doubles points thanks to wins from Carnicella and Jana Stojanova and Friedman and Buchwald. Jane Dunyon earned the first singles win from court six, followed by Buchwald and Carnicella, who clinched the match.

On Saturday, the Wildcats grabbed the doubles point, but the Gamecocks earned four straight singles wins from Carnicella, Buchwald, Stojanova, and Sara Borkop.

SCOUTING THE MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS

• Mississippi State comes in at No. 55 in this week’s edition of the ITA Rankings, and holds a 15-10 record on the season and is 3-10 in conference play. The Bulldogs are looking to snap a four-match losing streak when they host the Gamecocks.
• Three duos appear in the doubles rankings to represent Mississippi State. Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz and Chiara Di Genova lead the way at No. 11; Kempenaers-Pocz, paired with Gianna Oboniye, comes in at No. 31, and Oboniye, with Athina Pitta, rounds it out at No. 37.

SERIES HISTORY

• South Carolina dominates the all-time series against the Bulldogs, 36-2. Mississippi State took the very first meeting in 1989, then went winless until 2015. The Gamecocks have taken the last 10 consecutive matchups.
• The two teams last met during the opening round of the 2025 SEC Tournament, when South Carolina earned a 4-2 win (April 16). Returner Kaitlyn Carnicella earned her singles point, and returner Lauren Friedman won her doubles match to contribute to the victory.

SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE

• Alabama (12-9, 4-9 SEC) comes in at No. 50 in the latest ITA team rankings after dropping its fifth consecutive match. The team will host No. 1 Georgia on Thursday (April 9) before heading to Columbia to face the Gamecocks.
• Kristina Paskauskas (71) and Klara Milicevic (79) represent Alabama in the ITA singles rankings.

SERIES HISTORY

• South Carolina leads the all-time series 25-12 against the Crimson Tide, and has won the last 11 meetings.
• The two teams last met during the 2025 regular season when the Gamecocks defeated Alabama 4-1 in Tuscaloosa (Mar. 30).

 SCOUTING THE SC STATE BULLDOGS

• SC State is 2-10 on the season, and is looking to break a five-match losing streak. The Bulldogs will travel to the College of Charleston on Thursday (April 9) before taking on the Gamecocks.
• The doubles pair of Katerina Marsalkova and Valeria Teran boasts a 5-2 dual match record from the second position of the lineup.

SERIES HISTORY

• South Carolina leads the all-time series 5-0 over South Carolina State.
• The Gamecocks and Bulldogs last met in February in Columbia, when USC earned a 5-0 win.