Sutjiadi Named First Team All-SEC, Mikulskyte Lands on All-Freshman Team

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference announced its All-SEC teams on Wednesday afternoon, with two Wildcats earning all-conference distinction.  Junior Aldila Sutjiadi was named to the All-SEC First Team, while rookie Justina Mikulskyte was tabbed an All-Freshman Team honoree.  

 

Sutjiadi earned first-team honors for the first time in her career after being named to the All-SEC Second Team in both 2014 and 2015.  The first Wildcat named to the All-SEC First Team since Joelle Schwenk garnered the accolade in 2006, she shone as both an individual and in doubles action, ranked in the top-30 of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s latest rankings.  The junior is ranked No. 30 in the nation in singles, sporting a 16-5 record primarily in the No. 2 singles spot with an 8-4 mark in SEC action.  Over the course of the season, Sutjiadi has had multiple ranked upsets over her opponents, including then-No. 23 Astra Sharma of Vanderbilt and then-No. 22 Joana Vale Costa of LSU, both in straight sets.  Sutjiadi is also one half of the powerhouse doubles team along with Mami Adachi, as the two are the top tandem in the nation after going 15-2 on the season and sweeping all their SEC opponents.  During the fall campaign, Sutjiadi and Adachi finished runner-up in two separate national championship finals.  

 

Mikulsktye played primarily in the No. 1 singles spot, taking on some of the toughest opposition in the nation going through the SEC slate.  The Lithuanian freshman is currently ranked No. 79 in the nation after posting a 13-12 record, going 3-10 in league play against exclusively ranked players, including eight within the current top 25 of the ITA rankings.  Mikulskyte had notable upsets over then-No. 42 Sadie Hammond of Tennessee in matching 6-2 sets, as well as then-No. 40 Saska Gavriloska of Texas A&M, 6-2, 6-3.  She also had exceptional performances in doubles, pairing with Nadia Ravita and picking up a 16-1 record, including 8-1 in the SEC.  The duo started the season in the No. 3 spot, but moved into the No. 2 position in late March and have flourished since then, not allowing more than three points in their past six victories. 

“It brings a lot of excitement to our program that Aldila and Justina are getting recognized for their work ethic and mental toughness by the rest of the coaches in the SEC,” said head coach Carlos Dradá. “This recognition is also a reminder to the rest of the team members who are working hard and doing the right things on and off the court that great things are about to come during this postseason.  Everything is possible.”

In addition to the conference team, the SEC also announced its yearly individual awards. Florida was awarded two honors in Player of the Year, Brooke Austin, and Coach of the Year, Roland Thornqvist.  Alabama’s Andie Daniell was named the Freshman of the Year, and Vanderbilt’s Georgina Sellyn was honored as the Scholar-Athlete of the Year.  

 

First Team All-SEC

Erin Routliffe, Alabama 

Yuliya Lysa, Arkansas 

Andie Dikosavljevic, Auburn 

Alizee Michaud, Auburn 

Brooke Austin, Florida 

Belinda Woolcock, Florida 

Ellen Perez, Georgia 

Aldila Sutjiadi, Kentucky 

Joana Vale Costa, LSU 

Jasmine Lee, Mississippi State 

Saska Gavrilovska, Texas A&M 

Frances Altick, Vanderbilt 

Sydney Campbell, Vanderbilt 

Second Team All-SEC

Andie Daniell, Alabama 

Pleun Burgmans, Auburn

Anna Danilina, Florida 

Kourtney Keegan, Florida

Brianna Morgan, Florida 

Caroline Brinson, Georgia 

Kennedy Shaffer, Georgia 

Arianne Hartono, Ole Miss 

Georgiana Patrasc, Mississippi State

Bea Machado Santos, Missouri 

Rutuja Bhosale, Texas A&M

Sadie Hammond, Tennessee 

Astra Sharma, Vanderbilt 

All-Freshman

Andie Daniell, Alabama 

Ana Oparenovic, Arkansas 

Alannah Griffin, Auburn 

Jessica Golovin, LSU 

Justina Mikulskyte, Kentucky 

Ingrid Gamarra Martins, South Carolina 

Sadie Hammond, Tennessee 

Fernanda Contreras, Vanderbilt 

Visit UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information on the Kentucky women’s tennis team and all 22 varsity sports. For additional info, notes, and behind-the-scenes updates, follow the team on Twitter at @UKWomensTennis and on Facebook.