BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The LSU women’s tennis team was represented in the annual postseason conference awards, as Cadence Brace earned All-SEC First Team honors. Kayla Cross and Ella McDonald were each named to the All-SEC Second Team, while Addison Lanton collected both All-SEC Second Team and All-Freshman Team recognition, the league office announced Wednesday.
Brace was named First Team All-SEC for the second consecutive season, while Cross collected Second Team All-SEC honors for the second straight year. With team honors beginning in 1987, Brace became the 11th player in program history to earn first-team All-SEC honors.
Brace holds a 10-5 mark on the top spot, behind seven ranked victories, highlighted by taking down Vanderbilt’s then-No. 33 Bridget Stammel, 6-3, 6-1. Most recently, at the SEC Tournament, the sophomore took down Oklahoma’s then-No. 7 Evialina Laskevich, 6-0, 6-3, for Brace’s first top-10 victory of the season. In the following match, the sophomore earned a clinching result against Georgia’s then-No. 20 Anastasiia Lopata, 7-5, 6-1, sending the Tigers to the program’s first SEC Final.
Cross holds a 7-2 singles mark on the season. The sophomore holds five ranked victories on the campaign, highlighted by most recently clinching the 4-1 victory against Tennessee’s then-No. 35 Leyla Britez Risso in a come-from-behind effort, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. Three days later, Cross took down Auburn’s then-No. 28 Ekaterina Khairutdinova, 6-2, 7-6(5) in the SEC Championship.
In doubles, Brace and Cross have posted four wins this season, including two ranked victories, highlighted by a win over then-No. 10 Anastasiia Lopata and Patricija Paukstyte of Georgia at the SEC Tournament.
Beyond the sophomore standouts, newcomers Ella McDonald and Addison Lanton each earned All-SEC Second Team honors, with Lanton also securing a spot on the All-Freshman Team. Since the SEC began recognizing an All-Freshman Team in 2008, Lanton becomes the eighth Tiger to earn the distinction.
McDonald holds a 9-5 singles mark with five ranked results. She posted a ranked victory to clinch the match win against Florida’s then-No. 26 Gabia Paskauskas, 6-2, 6-3. Most recently, at the SEC Tournament, McDonald earned a hard-fought 7-6(4), 7-6(2) clinching victory over Oklahoma’s then-No. 59 Julia Garcia Ruiz. In the next match against Georgia, the England native took down then-No. 68 Deniz Dilek, 6-4, 6-2.
In doubles, McDonald has earned 12 overall doubles wins with two partners. Teaming with Cross, the pair hold a 3-1 record, highlighted by a result against NC State’s then-No. 2 Gabriella Broadfoot and Victoria Osuigwe at the ITA National Indoor Championships. Beyond teaming with Cross, McDonald posted nine doubles wins on the season with Erickson, behind five ranked victories. Most recently, the pairing clinched the doubles point against Tennessee in a 6-2 win over then-No. 23 Catherine Aulia and Leyla Britez Risso.
Lanton continues her strong freshman campaign with a team-leading 20-2 singles mark behind four ranked results. Lanton is also currently riding an 11-match winning streak in singles, highlighted by a come-from-behind ranked result against Georgia’s then-No. 54 Anastasiia Gureva, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 at the SEC Championship. In doubles play, the freshman has earned 14 total victories with four different partners.
Up Next
LSU returns to action in the NCAA Regional from May 1-4. The selection show will take place on Apr. 27, 3:30 p.m. CT on NCAA.com.
For more information on the LSU women’s tennis program, follow the Tigers on X @lsuwten, Instagram @LSUWTen, and Facebook.com/lsuwten.