Brace Named SEC Freshman of the Year; Earns All-SEC, All-Freshman Honors with Cross
Brace became the 10th player in program history to earn first-team All-SEC honors. She joins Jade Lewis (2017) as the second Tiger to be named SEC Freshman of the Year. The Canadian standouts became the sixth and seventh Tigers named to All-Freshman teams for the SEC.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – LSU Women’s Tennis was represented in the yearly SEC awards as Cadence Brace earned the SEC Freshman of the Year while being named to All-SEC and All-Freshman teams along with Kayla Cross, the league office announced Wednesday.
Brace was named First Team All-SEC, while Cross earned Second Team honors, as both were also recognized on the All-Freshman team. With team honors beginning in 1987, Brace became the 10th player in program history to earn first-team All-SEC honors. She joins Jade Lewis (2017) as the second Tiger to be named SEC Freshman of the Year. After freshman team honors began in 2008, the Canadian standouts became the sixth and seventh Tigers named to All-Freshman teams for the SEC.
Regarded as one of the year’s top prospects, Brace was precisely as advertised, earning 11 singles wins on the top spot, including eight ranked victories while riding a four-match winning streak, carrying the freshman to an ITA ranking of No. 12. Brace’s highlight victories include Tennessee’s then-No. 5 Elza Tomase, 6-3, 6-1, in LSU’s 4-0 win over Tennessee. Furthermore, she clinched the 4-3 comeback victory over South Carolina’s then-No. 19 Sarah Hamner in a thrilling 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(6) victory. The Toronto native has also earned three SEC Freshman of the Week honors this season.
Beyond solo play, Brace has teamed with Cross to form one of the top pairings in the country behind a 10-3 overall record, including seven ranked victories. The pair was ranked as high as No.3 according to the ITA. Some of the duo’s highlight victories include a 6-2 result over UCLA’s then-No. 9 Kimmi Hance and Elise Wagle in LSU’s 4-2 victory over the Bruins at the ITA National Indoor Championship, and a 6-3 win over Georgia’s then-No. 13 Dasha Vidmanova and Mell Reasco to help clinch the doubles point over the Bulldogs.
Joining the program in January, Cross holds a 10-2 singles record on the season with three ranked victories. Furthermore, she held a team-best nine-match singles winning streak spanning from Jan. 18 to March 21. Her success earned her an ITA singles ranking of No. 44 and two SEC Freshman of the Week honors. Her top victories include overcoming UCLA’s then-No. 17 A.C. Lutkemeyer, 6-1, 7-5, at the ITA National Indoor Championship, along with clinching LSU’s 4-2 come-from-behind victory over Texas, downing then-No. 54 Eszter Meri, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
For more information on the LSU women’s tennis program, follow the Tigers on X @lsuwten, Instagram @LSUWTen, and Facebook.com/lsuwten.