NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A week removed from sweeping both SEC weekly awards, Vanderbilt women’s tennis added another to its total after Mia Yamakita was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Wednesday.
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Yamakita generated another flawless weekend for the Vanderbilt women’s tennis team. The freshman went unbeaten in the Commodores’ two matches, putting together four total wins across doubles and singles en route to consecutive road victories over Mississippi State and Alabama. Along with teammate freshman Erin Pearce, Yamakita clinched the doubles point against both the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide, providing the black and gold with an early advantage.
In singles, Yamakita knocked off Mississippi State’s Chiara Di Genova 6-4, 7-5 as Vanderbilt’s fourth point, sealing the Commodore team victory from Starkville. Against Alabama, Yamakita fended off Addison Bowman in three sets, 7-5, 6-7 (0), 6-3, to deliver Vanderbilt a 4-3 win in Tuscaloosa. The final set of Yamakita’s matchup with Bowman was played as the last remaining court. Both team wins boosted the black and gold to No. 12 in the updated ITA rankings, and Yamakita is now one of four Dores with 20 or more total singles victories across the fall and spring.
Yamakita follows suite after Pearce was named SEC Freshman of the Week on March 11. It is the fourth total weekly award Vanderbilt has earned this season: graduate Célia-Belle Mohr earned SEC Player of the Week honors alongside Pearce last week, and junior Valeria Ray collected a Player of the Week award as well on Jan. 28 after her role in the Commodores’ 4-2 takedown of No. 7 Michigan.
It is the first time in program history Vanderbilt has earned Freshman of the Week recognition in consecutive weeks. The Commodores have not brought home multiple Freshman of the Week awards in the same year since 2016, with Fernanda Contreras earning the honor both times that season.
Vanderbilt looks to extend its winning streak to five in a matchup with Ole Miss (7-6, 2-5 SEC) tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. from the Lummis Family Tennis Center. For more information, updates and exclusive match day content, follow the Vanderbilt women’s tennis team, @VandyWTennis, on Instagram and X.
