Posted: Jun 14, 2023

Three Tartans Earn All-America Recognition

Three women's tennis players swinging the racquet in a match

(TEMPE, Ariz.) – Three Carnegie Mellon University women's tennis players were honored as All-Americans by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) for 2023, all as repeat awardees.

Junior Danna Taylor earned the distinction for singles and doubles for the third time in her career while sophomores Sarah Yang and Crystal Zhou repeat as singles honorees. Zhou also earned the honor in doubles play for the second time.

The honorific "All-American" title is given to student-athletes that are a top 8 seed in the NCAA singles tournament, win one round at the NCAA singles tournament, finish in the Top 20 in the final ITA Women's Singles Rankings, win ITA Fall Regional Tournament, or win a first-round match at the ITA Cup.

The All-American status is awarded to doubles teams that are a top 4 seed in the NCAA doubles tournament, win one round at the NCAA doubles tournament, finish in the Top 10 in the final ITA Women's Doubles Rankings, win ITA Fall Regional Tournament, or win a first-round match at the ITA Cup.

Tayor and Zhou finished the season in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Doubles Championship and earned a national ranking of fifth as a duo. They combined for a 30-10 record, and each played to 33 victories in doubles action to record the most doubles victories in a single season for the program. The pair also won the ITA Southeast Regional in the fall and competed at the ITA Cup.

Taylor played in the NCAA Division III Singles Championship, falling in the first round to the third seed, and won 18 matches for the season. Taylor was ranked 19th in the nation at the year's end.

Yang, who won the ITA Southeast Regional Singles Championship against Zhou, was selected to compete at the NCAA Division III Singles Championship for the second straight year. Yang finished the year ranked 12th in the nation with a 21-7 record including a 13-4 record at number one singles for the Tartans but had to withdraw from the national tournament.

Zhou led the Tartans in wins with 25 for the year and competed in the ITA Cup alongside Yang in singles play.

The Tartans earned a final national ranking of 12 and were fourth in the Atlantic South Region after advancing to the NCAA Division III Championship Quarterfinals for the seventh time in program history and the first time since 2019.