University of Georgia Athletics
Quartet of Bulldogs Earns All-SEC Honors
April 22, 2015 | Women's Tennis
ATHENS, Ga. -- The SEC league office announced the 2015 Women's Tennis All-SEC Teams on Wednesday afternoon, and no less than four Georgia Bulldogs were named to this year's squads.
Senior Lauren Herring headlined the group with her fourth-straight First Team All-SEC selection, while junior Silvia Garcia, freshman Kennedy Shaffer, and freshman Ellen Perez received Second Team All-SEC honors. Shaffer and Perez were also named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. All awards were voted on by the league's coaches.
"I am really excited to see the postseason awards starting to come through for some of our players that have had great years," said head coach Jeff Wallace. "These four players are deserving of their places on the All-SEC teams, and I feel like we could have even had a few more placed on their after the successful seasons they've had. Now we're all just looking forward to competing in the NCAA tournament and finishing this year off on a high note."
For Herring, the First-Team All-SEC distinction adds yet another award to what has been one of the most successful careers in Georgia women's tennis history. Currently the No. 6 ranked singles player in the nation, Herring has been placed on the First Team in each of her four seasons with the Bulldogs. This year she is 21-6 in singles with a 14-5 record against nationally-ranked opponents. The Greenville, N.C., native also boasts a 6-2 SEC record and is 15-3 from the number one court in dual matches. This latest award is her second in a week's time after earning a place on the SEC All-Tournament Team following the Bulldogs' run to the title match last weekend.
Garcia earned a Second Team All-SEC nod for the second time in her career after going 8-2 in SEC singles play and 7-3 in SEC doubles play this spring. A member of the First Team last season, the Madrid, Spain, native has now appeared on the All-SEC first or second teams in each of her three seasons with the Bulldogs. She is currently ranked No. 93 in the nation for singles and No. 32 in doubles.
Garcia's doubles partner, Kennedy Shaffer, earned a spot on both the SEC All-Freshman Team and All-SEC Second Team after starting her young Georgia career with a 15-5 singles record that has featured just one loss in league competition. The Rossford, Ohio, native is currently riding a ten-match winning streak and boasts an impressive 6-3 record against ranked opponents. She is currently the No. 47 ranked singles player in the nation.
Another Georgia freshman, Ellen Perez, received the same distinctions as Shaffer after earning Second Team All-SEC and All-Freshman Team honors. The Shellharbour, Australia, native is currently ranked No. 60 in singles and has played to a 17-10 singles record this season. Perez also has five wins against nationally ranked opponents to her name and was 7-3 in SEC play throughout the regular season.
The Bulldogs' next match will be in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, which will take place from May 9-10 at a location that is set to be announced by the NCAA at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
A complete list of this year's SEC awards can be found below.
First Team All-SEC
Maya Jansen, Alabama
Erin Routliffe, Alabama
Brooke Austin, Florida
Josie Kuhlman, Florida
Brianna Morgan, Florida
Lauren Herring, Georgia
Joana Vale, Costa LSU
Julia Jones, Ole Miss
Jasmine Lee, Mississippi State
Rachel Pierson, Texas A&M
Sydney Campbell, Vanderbilt
Astra Sharma, Vanderbilt
Second Team All-SEC
Yuliya Lysa, Arkansas
Pleun Burgmans, Auburn
Kourtney Keegan, Florida
Silvia Garcia, Georgia
Ellen Perez, Georgia
Kennedy Shaffer, Georgia
Aldila Sutjiadi, Kentucky
Skylar Kuykendall, LSU
Elixane Lechemia, South Carolina
Rutuja Bhosale, Texas A&M
Saska Gavrilovska, Texas A&M
Frances Altick, Vanderbilt
Courtney Colton, Vanderbilt
All-Freshman
Brooke Austin, Florida
Josie Kuhlman, Florida
Ellen Perez, Georgia
Kennedy Shaffer, Georgia
Arianne Hartono, Ole Miss
Astra Sharma, Vanderbilt
Player of the Year: Brooke Austin, Florida
Freshman of the Year: Brooke Austin, Florida
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Emily Zabor, Alabama
Coach of the Year: Geoff Macdonald, Vanderbilt
