Lea Ma was named SEC Freshman of the Week announced by the conference on Wednesday afternoon. This is Ma’s first Freshman of the Week honor.

The freshman from Dix Hills, N.Y. earned the honor after going 2-0 in singles this past weekend on court two picking up a 6-4, 6-4 win over Michigan State’s Samantha Memije and a 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 win over Notre Dame’s Cameron Corse. Ma also holds a singles ranking of 19 and is one of five Bulldogs in the ITA Individual Singles Rankings. In doubles, she and partner Morgan Coppoc swept Ally Bojczuk and Bess Waldram of Notre Dame, 6-0.

“This is a well-deserved honor for Lea in her first week of dual matches,” Associate Head Coach Drake Bernstein said. “She is showing good poise, coming up with some of her best stuff when it mattered the most against Notre Dame. She has been looking forward to dual matches for a while now, so we are excited that she was able to come out and get her season started off on a positive note.”

This is the first Freshman of the Week honor for Georgia since Lourdes Carle was named the week in March of last season. Rebeka Mertena of Tennessee was named SEC Player of the Week. 

Georgia is coming off two victories in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend event defeating Michigan State 7-0 and Notre Dame 5-2 to return to the National Indoor Tournament in Chicago. The Bulldogs return to action on Thursday, Jan. 30 with a trip to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech at 4 p.m. before returning home to host Clemson on Saturday, Feb. 1.