Weaver Named SEC Coach of the Year, Four Players Appear on Women’s Tennis All-SEC Teams

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Texas A&M women's tennis continued rewriting the record books with a program-best six honorees on the 2022 Southeastern Conference Yearly Awards list, the league office announced Thursday.
 
Mark Weaver was named the conference's Coach of the Year, while Tatiana Makarova, Jayci Goldsmith and Carson Branstine were each named to the All-SEC First Team. Mary Stoiana landed a spot on the All-SEC Second Team and SEC All-Freshman Team. A&M's three First Team All-SEC distinctions serve as a program record for a single season, while Weaver is A&M's first SEC Coach of the Year since the University joined the league in 2012-13.
 
"Congratulations are in order for so many of our players on receiving All-SEC recognition this year," Weaver said. "Our student-athletes have received an abundance of recognition for both their individual and team performances. All of those accolades are well-deserved. As for myself, earning Coach of the Year is a humbling experience and a great honor considering the pedigree of SEC coaches and programs. My assistant coach, Jordan Szabo, has had a tremendous impact on our program and I appreciate all of his hard work. At the end of the day, we have such a spectacular group of young women that ultimately deserve all the credit for this season's successes."
 
In his 23rd year in the Brazos Valley and seventh at the helm of the women's tennis program, Weaver secured the first conference Coach of the Year award of his career. Since his hiring, Weaver has tallied the second most wins in program history with 140 dual match victories highlighted by a 30-1 record in the 2022 campaign. He became the first A&M coach to reach the 30-win threshold and to win both a conference regular season and tournament title in the same year.
 
Makarova completed the most dominant season of her storied career, going 29-2 in singles play with an unblemished 25-0 mark in dual matches. The graduate was one of three Aggies to go undefeated against SEC opposition in singles, claiming wins in all 13 opportunities. In doubles, Makarova leads the Aggie roster with a 33-5 overall ledger including 12 victories against nationally-ranked opposition. Additionally, Makarova became the third player in A&M history to reach 100 career wins in both singles and doubles play. The All-SEC First Team designation is the second of her career.
 
Branstine's addition to the Maroon & White has been invaluable throughout the spring slate, as the Orange, California, native racked up a 16-6 record in singles play with 13 ranked wins in the process. Branstine went 18-3 in doubles play, all at the No. 2 position alongside Stoiana. The junior made history during the ITA Indoors, booking the highest ranked win in school history in her straight-set victory against then-No. 1 Eryn Cayetano of USC.
 
Goldsmith solidified herself as a key contributor at both No. 1 doubles and No. 4 singles, going 32-5 in overall doubles with a 23-2 record in dual match action at the top spot. Goldsmith, a native of Dripping Springs, Texas, recorded 27 singles victories and went a perfect 12-0 against league opposition. The senior was named an All-SEC athlete for the second time in her career and made her first appearance on the league's first team this season.
 
Stoiana stood out as one of the conference's premier newcomers, tallying a 30-4 overall singles record with a perfect 13-0 mark in SEC dual matches. In doubles, Stoiana ran up a 25-5 overall mark and was the only Aggie athlete to record at least one win at all three positions. She secured the deciding point for the Maroon & White on court three to garner the team's first SEC Tournament title over Georgia. The freshman became A&M's fourth SEC All-Freshman designee, joining Saska Gavrilovska, Katya Townsend and Goldsmith.
 
The Aggies have already punched their ticket to the 2022 NCAA Tournament as the automatic qualifier from the SEC. A&M will learn its seeding information, as well as the team's first round matchup in the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, May 2nd at 5:30 p.m. (CT).
 
2022 SEC YEARLY AWARDS
First Team All-SEC
Loudmilla Bencheikh, Alabama
Tatum Rice, Arkansas
Carolyn Ansari, Auburn
Ariana Arseneault, Auburn
Selin Ovunc, Auburn
McCartney Kessler, Florida
Mell Reasco, Georgia
Lea Ma, Georgia
Sabina Machalova, Ole Miss
Ayana Akli, South Carolina
Sarah Hamner, South Carolina
Jayci Goldsmith, Texas A&M
Tatiana Makarova, Texas A&M
Carson Branstine, Texas A&M
Tenika McGiffin, Tennessee
Rebeka Mertena, Tennessee
 
Second Team All-SEC
Petra Sedlackova, Alabama
Alicia Dudeney, Florida
Marlee Zein, Florida
Morgan Coppoc, Georgia
Dasha Vidmanova, Georgia
Safiya Carrington, LSU
Emmanouela Antonaki, Mississippi State
Elza Tomase, Tennessee
Mary Stoiana, Texas A&M
Anessa Lee, Vanderbilt
Anna Ross, Vanderbilt
Holly Staff, Vanderbilt
 
All-Freshman
Petra Sedlackova, Alabama
Alicia Dudeney, Florida
Mell Reasco, Georgia
Dasha Vidmanova, Georgia
Sarah Hamner, South Carolina
Mary Stoiana, Texas A&M
 
Player of the Year
McCartney Kessler, Florida
 
Freshman of the Year
Sarah Hamner, South Carolina
 
Coach of the Year
Mark Weaver, Texas A&M
 
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