Columbia Celebrates: Women’s Tennis Earns Bid to 29th Consecutive NCAA Tournament

The University of South Carolina women’s tennis team has secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the 29th consecutive year, bringing joy and excitement to the city of Columbia. The team, ranked 19th nationally, received the good news during the selection show on Monday evening.

Old Dominion Awaits

The Gamecocks are set to face Old Dominion in the first round of the tournament at NC State. Interestingly, the two teams met in the same round of the 2023 NCAA tournament, where Old Dominion emerged victorious. South Carolina will be looking for redemption this time around.

First Round Action

The action-packed tournament will kick off in Raleigh, N.C., with South Carolina taking on Old Dominion at the J. W. Isenhour Tennis Complex on Saturday, May 6. In another first-round match, NC State will compete against South Carolina State. The winners of these matches will battle it out in the second round on Sunday for a chance to advance to the super regionals.

Impressive Season

Leading into the NCAA competition, the Gamecocks boast a solid 17-7 record in dual matches, including a respectable 8-5 mark in conference play. They have secured four top-25 wins this season, with their most notable victory coming against the then-No. 13 Auburn.

In the individual rankings, South Carolina has standout players in No. 10 Ayana Akli and No. 17 Sarah Hamner. The duo also ranks No. 26 in doubles. Akli additionally holds the No. 67 spot with Olympe Lancelot. Both Akli and Hamner have been named to the All-SEC First Team for the third consecutive season.

Strong SEC Presence

South Carolina is one of nine SEC teams to make it to the 2024 NCAA Tournament, with four schools set to host the opening rounds – Georgia (7), Texas A&M (13), Florida (14), and Tennessee (16). Other conference teams in the 64-team field include Alabama, Vanderbilt, Auburn, and LSU.

For more updates on South Carolina women’s tennis, stay tuned to GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team on social media (@GamecockWTennis).

Schedule:

Saturday, May 6
11:00 a.m. – South Carolina vs. Old Dominion
2:00 p.m. – South Carolina State vs. NC State

Sunday, May 6
2:00 p.m. – Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2