Multiple UNC Athletes Win Conference Honors

It was a banner weekend for Carolina athletics, punctuated by the UNC women’s tennis program’s third consecutive indoor national title and sixth overall. Almost every UNC winter sport was in action, and multiple student-athletes brought in awards for their performances.

In women’s tennis, Fiona Crawley was named ACC Player of the Week, while teammate Carson Tanguilig took home Freshman of the Week honors. Crawley went undefeated in singles play during the ITA championship, and won the clinching matches in victories over No. 11 Ohio State and No. 7 Virginia. Tanguilig also won each of her singles matches, including a critical three-set victory in the championship against Oklahoma. Tanguilig fought back from a loss in the first set to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

On the men’s side, Brian Cernoch and Mac Kiger were named the ACC Doubles Team of the Week, following Carolina’s upset win over No. 13 South Carolina on Sunday. Cernoch and Kiger went undefeated in doubles last week, with a win over Wofford followed by a win over the No. 7 doubles team in the nation against the Gamecocks. Cernoch and Kiger now have two top-10 wins under their belts this season. This is the second time they’ve been named Doubles Team of the Week.

Redshirt freshman wrestler Gavin Kane took home Co-Wrestler of the Week honors from the ACC, despite Carolina’s loss on Friday at Virginia Tech. Kane was a bright spot for head coach Coleman Scott and the Tar Heels, taking down the Hokies’ Hunter Bolen, who was ranked No. 10 in the country in his weight class. It was the highest-ranked win of Kane’s career. He is now 15-2 overall this season and has won 11 matches in a row.

In track & field, graduate Anna Keefer was named Co-Performer of the Week for her showings at the Tiger Paw Invite at Clemson. Keefer set personal bests in both the long jump and 200 meters. Her jump of 21 feet and 2.5 inches is the eighth-best mark in the NCAA this season and just a centimeter away from an all-time UNC record. Keefer did set a school record in the 200 meters, clocking in at 23.24 seconds. That time is tied for 13th in the nation.

The most decorated player on the UNC men’s lacrosse team got some more hardware for his personal trophy case. Following wins over Richmond and Colgate, graduate attackman Chris Gray was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Week. Gray scored seven goals and dished out five assists between the two games. It’s the sixth time Gray has won Offensive Player of the Week in his career, though the preseason National Player of the Year has his sights set on bigger prizes in 2022.

It should come as no surprise to those who’ve followed the program, but freshmen Lali Dekanoidze and Julia Knower once again took home weekly honors from the East Atlantic Gymnastics League. Dekanoidze won the EAGL’s Gymnast of the Week title for the fourth time this season, while Knower was named Freshman of the Week for a second time.

Dekanoidze won yet another all-around title in Carolina’s dual meet against Temple on Saturday, setting a new career-high with a 39.550 score. That score is the best from any gymnast in the EAGL this season and seventh-best in the nation among freshmen. Dekanoidze also set a career-high on bars with a 9.95, which was EAGL’s highest score of the week in that event. Dekanoidze is currently ranked No. 1 in the conference on bars.

Knower wasn’t far behind, scoring a 39.250 all-around score against the Owls. She scored her second-straight 9.90 on beam in UNC’s victory. Knower is ranked as the No. 5 all-around gymnast in the EAGL.

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Anthony Sorbellini

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