Kentucky Seniors Adachi, Fanning Earn All-SEC Honors
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference announced its 2018 All-SEC teams Wednesday afternoon, with Kentucky’s two seniors earning league honors. Mami Adachi was named to the All-SEC First Team, while Emily Fanning earned second team honors.
Already a two-time doubles All-American, Adachi earns her first conference honors after having one of her most impressive seasons on the singles court in 2018. The Tokyo, Japan, native finished the regular season with an impressive 14-3 singles record in dual play through the regular season, including a 6-2 mark in SEC play. She did not lose a singles match for more than two months through the regular season, winning 12 straight from January 27 to April 7, which included beginning SEC singles play undefeated with a 6-0 record. She earned a ranked win over Auburn’s No. 121 Taylor Russo, and also led Vanderbilt’s No. 97 Amanda Meyer and LSU’s No. 96 Eden Richardson in the third set as those matches were clinched. Playing primarily at the No. 3 singles spot, her only two conference singles losses came to top-10 teams in league play. Adachi earned three ranked doubles victories in dual play, including defeating NC State’s ninth-ranked pair and kicked off the fall season by winning the Ohio Valley regional doubles title in October, teaming with Akvile Paražinskaite.
Fanning brings in her first career All-SEC honors after enjoying a highly successful campaign in 2018. A native of Timaru, New Zealand, she clinched SEC victories over Tennessee and Texas A&M with big wins on the No. 1 singles court. Playing at both No. 1 and No. 2 singles throughout the season, Fanning earned three ranked singles victories in conference play, defeating Arkansas’ No. 87 Ana Oparenovic, LSU’s No. 121 Ryann Foster and Texas A&M’s No. 125 Domenica Gonzalez. The senior has won 13 doubles matches in the dual season, all played on the top court, with six of those victories coming over ranked foes. Fanning was recognized by the league office earlier this season, as she was named SEC Player of the Week on April 11 after going undefeated through her senior weekend, posting a 4-0 combined record in singles and doubles, all against ranked foes.
The Wildcats await their NCAA Championship selection, expecting to make their fifth-straight appearance in the tournament. The 64-team field will be announced Tuesday, May 1 at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com.
For more information regarding the 2018 All-SEC teams and yearly awards, visit secsports.com.
First Team All-SEC
Andie Daniell, Alabama
Giulia Pairone, Arkansas
Jaeda Daniel, Auburn
Anna Danilina, Florida
McCartney Kessler, Florida
Josie Kuhlman, Florida
Katarina Jokic, Georgia
Mami Adachi, Kentucky
Eden Richardson, LSU
Alexa Bortles, Ole Miss
Arianne Hartono, Ole Miss
Hadley Berg, South Carolina
Ingrid Martins, South Carolina
Fernanda Contreras, Vanderbilt
Christina Rosca, Vanderbilt
Astra Sharma, Vanderbilt
Second Team All-SEC
Ana Oparenovic, Arkansas
Alizee Michaud, Auburn
Elena Christofi, Georgia
Morgan Coppoc, Georgia
Marta Gonzalez, Georgia
Mariana Gould, Georgia
Kennedy Shaffer, Georgia
Emily Fanning, Kentucky
Ryann Foster, LSU
Tea Jandric, Ole Miss
Anna Vrbenska, Ole Miss
Madison Harrison, Mississippi State
Sabina Machalova, Ole Miss
Anastasia Rentouli, Mississippi State
Mia Horvit, South Carolina
Domenica Gonzalez, Texas A&M
Macarena Olivares, Texas A&M
Summer Dvorak, Vanderbilt
Amanda Meyer, Vanderbilt
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s tennis program, follow @UKWomensTennis on Twitter and Instagram, on Facebook at Facebook.com/UKWomensTennis and on the web at UKathletics.com.
