Carnicella earns first SEC freshman of the week honors of the 2023 season

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Grace Schinsing / Auburn Athletics

AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn freshman Kaitlyn Carnicella has been awarded SEC freshman of the week honors after her first weekend of dual matches on the Plains, the league office announced on Wednesday.
 
The Whippany, New Jersey native's weekend was highlighted by knocking off the 5th ranked singles player in the nation, Abbey Forbes of North Carolina, by a 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 1-0 (8) score on Sunday. Carnicella also defeated Samford's Ally Hayduk 6-4, 6-1 in singles play.
 
In doubles play, Carnicella recorded two doubles victories over the weekend. In her first doubles dual match, she and freshman DJ Bennett defeated Iowa State's Miska Kadleckova and Sofia Cabezas 6-3 before taking down Alexis Lopez and Lauren Waddles from Samford 6-1 alongside partner Adeline Flach.
 
Carnicella and the No. 15 Tigers will be back in action at the ITA Kickoff weekend being hosted in Auburn at the Yarbrough Tennis Center starting on Saturday. Auburn will face the University of California at Santa Barbara on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. CT then will face either #19 Arizona State or #23 UCF on Sunday with a time that will be determined after play has concluded on Saturday.