March 27, 2012

Wilkins named SoCon Women's Tennis Player of the Week

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - UNCG redshirt junior Niltooli Wilkins has been named the Southern Conference Women?s Tennis Player of the Week for matches March 19-25, the league office announced Tuesday. Wilkins was 4-0 last week as UNCG won both its matches.

The Spartans (9-4, 4-0 SoCon) downed Davidson and Georgia Southern last week to remain perfect in league play, and Wilkins was integral in both wins.

The Burnsville, Minn., native rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Davidon?s Stephani Synn at No. 1 singles on Wednesday and teamed with Lucy Dougherty for an 8-3 win over Synn and Nisha Crouser at No. 1 doubles. She and Dougherty, the 66th-ranked duo in the nation, clinched the doubles point, while Wilkins? singles win clinched the match, which the Spartans took 6-1.

Against Georgia Southern on Sunday, Wilkins again clinched the doubles point and the match. She and Dougherty cruised to an 8-1 win over Paola Garrido and Caitlin Kitchen at No. 1 doubles to lock up the early 1-0 lead, and Wilkins downed Garrido at No. 1 singles, 6-3, 6-1, to put UNCG up 4-0 in a match the Spartans would go on to win 5-2.

Wilkins has won 12 straight singles matches to improve to 12-1 in dual play this season. She is 22-6 overall, and with at least nine matches left on the schedule, Wilkins has a chance to surpass the school record of 29 singles wins set by Alejandra Guerra in 2009.

The weekly award is the first for Wilkins this season and the third of her career. She was the league?s player of the month for February.

Wilkins and the rest of the Spartans are back in action at Appalachian State at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in Boone, N.C.

AGATE
SoCon Women?s Tennis Players of the Week
Feb. 14 - Paola Garrido, Georgia Southern
Feb. 21 - Samantha Maddox, College of Charleston
Feb. 28 - Kristen Lewis, Samford
March 7 - Kaylene Chadwell, Chattanooga
March 13 - Jordan Johnston, Elon
March 20 - Christin Newman, College of Charleston
March 27 - Niltooli Wilkins, UNCG

- UNCG -