BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU women’s tennis program earned three regional honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, the organization announced Tuesday.
Freshman Addison Lanton earned ITA Southern Region Rookie of the Year honors, sophomore Ella McDonald was named the ITA Southern Region Player to Watch, and Chris Simpson was recognized as the ITA Southern Region Assistant Coach of the Year.
Lanton showed no growing pains after arriving in Baton Rouge, posting a dominant freshman campaign that featured a staggering 21-2 singles mark with five ranked victories. Lanton also wrapped up the season on a 12-match winning streak in singles.
In postseason play, the freshman secured a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 come-from-behind effort against Georgia’s then-No. 54 Anastasiia Gureva in the SEC semifinal round. Next, she earned a ranked result against Virginia’s No. 119 Isabelle Lacy, 6-4, 6-3. In doubles play, the freshman has earned 16 total victories with four different partners.
McDonald made an immediate impact after joining the Tigers in January, finishing the season with an 11-6 singles record behind six ranked victories. At the SEC Tournament, McDonald earned wins over Oklahoma’s then-No. 59 Julia Garcia Ruiz, 7-6(4), 7-6(2), and Georgia’s then-No. 68 Deniz Dilek, 6-4, 6-2, before adding a 7-5, 6-1, straight-set victory over Virginia’s No. 84 Katie Rolls in the NCAA Super Regional.
In doubles play, McDonald totaled 15 wins alongside partners Kayla Cross and Kenna Erickson. The sophomore primarily paired with Erickson, posting a 12-5 record with six ranked victories, highlighted by wins over ranked teams from Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Virginia during postseason play.
Simpson played an integral role in LSU’s 2026 campaign, helping guide the Tigers to another nationally successful season that included a top-five national ranking, an SEC Tournament Championship appearance, and a second consecutive NCAA Elite Eight berth.
In his first season as associate head coach, Simpson also continued to make an impact on the recruiting trail, helping bring in standout newcomers Lanton, McDonald, and Carolina Kuhl. With Cadence Brace earning singles All-American honors this season, Simpson has now helped coach seven All-American selections during his time in Baton Rouge.
For more information on the LSU women’s tennis program, follow the Tigers on X @lsuwten, Instagram @LSUWTen, and Facebook.com/lsuwten.