Women's tennis: Lely High grad Embree of Florida named SEC Freshman of Week

The University of Florida’s Lauren Embree of Marco Island has been named the Southeastern Conference Women’s Tennis Freshman of the Week, the league announced on Wednesday.

This is the third time this season the standout rookie and Lely High School graduate has garnished the league’s weekly award, also collecting the honor on March 3 and 10.

Last week, Embree compiled a combined 4-0 singles and doubles record, which included two singles wins against higher-ranked opponents and one doubles win versus a top-25 team while playing with a new partner.

Embree, ranked No. 14 in the country, recorded singles upsets against Tennessee’s No. 11 Caitlin Whoriskey (6-4, 7-5) that gave the Gators a 3-0 lead in the team scoring en route to the victory and against Georgia’s 10th-ranked Chelsey Gullickson, 7-5, 6-4 that clinched the SEC regular-season championship for Florida.

The win over 10th-ranked Gullickson was Embree’s first-ever victory over a top-10 ranked foe, as she improved to 22-5 against nationally-ranked opponents. That victory also marked her 12th consecutive singles win, all coming at the No. 1 singles position in the dual match lineup.

On the doubles court, she paired with sophomore Joanna Mather for the first time and the duo upset Tennessee’s 22nd-ranked team of Alda and Zubor, 8-4. It was the first win of the dual match and helped the Gators win the doubles point, as the teams split the other two doubles contests.

The Gators rookie improved her overall singles record to 27-5 and her doubles record to 29-5 this season. Embree is 15-3 in dual match singles action, with all coming at the No. 1 position. She also sports a 16-2 dual match doubles record, including an 8-1 record in SEC matches, all at the No. 2 spot.

Third-ranked Florida concludes its regular season on Saturday, when the team travels to Columbia, S.C., to play No. 18 South Carolina.

The Gators (20-2, 10-0 SEC) have already wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament, which will be held April 22-25 in Athens, Ga.