UGA women’s tennis team sophomore Ellen Perez reached a new career-high rank for the fifth consecutive poll, checking in at No. 3 in the latest ITA rankings that were released Tuesday afternoon.
 
 
The Shellharbour, Australia native’s new career best represents the first time UGA has had a player in the top three since her former doubles partner, Lauren Herring, claimed the third spot prior to the 2013 fall slate.
 
 
Perez, who entered the spring season 12th, has seen her stock rise ever since her lone loss in February when she dropped to 14. She moved up to 10, then seven in the following rank, then six and four. Today she moved up to third after finishing an undefeated SEC regular season (11-0) and going 14-1 overall in dual matches.
 
 
She also saw her doubles ranking improve along side Mariana Gould, as the pair of sophomores jumped from 20 to 12 – its highest rank of the season. The duo is 10-5 on the year with nine wins over ranked opponents.
 
 
Joining Perez in the singles rankings were Caroline Brinson (30), Kennedy Shaffer (47) and Silvia Garcia (97). Brinson and Shaffer each dropped one spot in the rankings while Garcia fell 11 after an 0-1 weekend.
 
 
The pair of Garcia and Shaffer also hit the ITA rankings, coming in at 66, up one spot from last week despite not finishing either match this weekend.
 
 
The fourth-ranked Bulldogs hit the courts in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for the SEC Tournament on Friday after claiming the third seed for the tournament.
 
 
For all the latest on Georgia women’s tennis, follow the team on Twitter (@UGAWomensTennis), Instagram (@ugawomenstennis) and on Facebook (Georgia Women’s Tennis), and keep checking in to georgiadogs.com.