Santos Named to Second-Team All-SEC
4/27/2016 5:39:00 PM | Tennis
Santos posted six wins over ranked opponents in singles play during the dual season
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Mizzou Tennis junior Bea Machado Santos (Lisbon, Portugal) was named second-team All-SEC, announced by the conference office on Wednesday. Santos is the first Tiger to earn the honor since Cierra Gayton-Leach was named second-team All-SEC following the 2014 season.
Santos has flourished in her second year in black and gold, posting a 14-9 mark at the No. 1 position and a 15-9 mark overall in singles play over the dual season. Santos has been ranked in five of nine ITA Collegiate Tennis Singles Rankings polls, ranking as high as No. 53 on April 19. In doubles play, Santos has been ranked in five of nine polls, posting an 8-4 mark at the No. 1 position with senior Kelli Hine and a 10-11 mark overall at the position over the spring season.
The Portugal native has enjoyed success against the nation's best this season, owning six wins over opponents currently ranked in the ITA Top-125. Santos' highest ranked win of the season came on March 5 in a win over reigning SEC Player of the Year Brooke Austin (Florida), currently ranked No. 3 in the nation. Austin's only SEC loss of the dual season came to the hands of Santos, who also owns wins over Andie Dikosavlijevic (Auburn, No. 20), Arianne Hartono (Ole Miss, No. 33), Sadie Hammond (Tennessee, No. 51), Justina Mikulskyte (Kentucky, No. 79) and Allison Miller (Notre Dame, No. 115).
Santos has been played a vital role in Mizzou Tennis' best season in over a decade, where the Tigers reached 16 wins, the most wins in program history since 2004-05. Mizzou also started the season 7-0, the best start in program history since 2002-03.
The 2015-16 season is not yet complete for Santos, who has a chance to be selected to the 2016 NCAA Tournament individual field. The selection show for the tournament will be May 4.
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