COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s tennis saw four entries on the ITA Preseason Rankings, led by senior Sarah Hamner grabbing a top-10 singles position. She also pairs with junior transfer Kaitlyn Carnicella to form the team’s top doubles pair, coming in at No. 27. Senior Olympe Lancelot and freshman Helena Buchwald come in at No. 89 in doubles, and Buchwald is ranked the No. 16 newcomer in the nation.
A three-time All-SEC First-Team selection, Hamner enters her senior season after a 32-9 singles record last season that included a team-high 18 wins over ranked opponents. Ranked as high as No. 1 in the nation, her career resume includes 2021 ITA All-American Singles Champion, a pair of All-America honors (2022, 2023) and three NCAA Singles Championship appearances,
In her lone full season of college tennis, Carnicella was a dominant doubles entry for Auburn, compiling a 25-12 record, including a 17-7 mark in dual matches.
Lancelot is in her second season as a Gamecock, amassing a 23-13 doubles record in her first campaign in Columbia. This marks the first doubles ranking of her career as she pairs with Buchwald, who is set for her debut collegiate season after topping out at No. 882 in the WTA rankings two weeks ago behind a strong summer of ITF events.
South Carolina’s full fall schedule will be released soon as the team kicks off its 13th season under head coach Kevin Epley
Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWTennis) for the most up-to-date information on the women’s tennis season.