SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina’s Jade Groen has been named the Southern Conference women’s tennis player of the week for all matches played from Feb. 21-27, the conference announced on Tuesday. The award is selected by the league office.
 
Groen went a combined 4-0 on the week as the Catamounts fell in their SoCon opener to defending league champion Furman and beat Gardner-Webb.
 
In the 5-2 setback to the Paladins on Wednesday, Groen and Andrea Redondo paired for a 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles over Madison Dillon and Luca Victoria Vocke, In singles play, the freshman from Zoetermeer, Netherlands, overcame a first-set loss to defeat Jess Dawson 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) at No. 3 as Western Carolina took multiple singles wins against Furman for the first time in the series.
 
In Sunday’s 4-3 win over Gardner-Webb, Groen and Redondo again cruised to a 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles. Groen then earned a crucial straight-sets win over Maria Jardim at No. 3 singles, winning 6-4, 6-2 to help the Catamounts to the win.
 
The weekly award is the first of Groen’s career.
 
Western Carolina (6-4, 0-1 SoCon) is scheduled to host Lees-McRae on Wednesday at 3 p.m. and Presbyterian on Saturday at 11 a.m.
 
Also nominated: Marina de Diego Quinones (Mercer), Coco Bosman (Chattanooga) and Brianna Wilbur (Wofford).
 
SoCon Women’s Tennis Players of the Week
Jan. 17          Laylo Bakhodirova, ETSU
Jan. 24          Jessie Young, Chattanooga
Jan. 31          Laylo Bakhodirova, ETSU
Feb. 7            Alexis Lopez, Samford
Feb. 14          Sara Snyder, Furman
Feb. 21          Laylo Bakhodirova, ETSU
Feb. 28          Jade Groen, Western Carolina