University of North Carolina Athletics
Patterson Medal Winners
Sara Daavettila
- Induction:
- 2021
- Class:
- 2021
2021 — Sara Daavettila: Women’s Tennis (Williamston, Mich.)
Daavettila led Carolina to four ACC women’s tennis championships and to ITA National Team Indoor Championships in 2018, 2020 and 2021. She was named the Most Outstanding Player following all three ITA championships, becoming the first player ever to receive the award more than once at the National Team Indoor Championships.
As a senior in 2021, Daavettila became the first Tar Heel women’s tennis player to win the Honda Sports Award, recognizing her as the national player of the year. The Williamston, Mich., native earned seven ITA All-America awards, tying 2015 Patterson Medal winner Hayley Carter for the most in UNC women’s tennis history. She was also named third-team Academic All-America in 2021.
Daavettila finished her career second at UNC with 149 singles victories, was the No. 1 seed in the 2021 NCAA Singles Championship and advanced to the semifinals. She became the fourth player in ACC history and only Tar Heel to reach the NCAA quarterfinals three times. She was No. 3 in the final ITA rankings in both singles and doubles in 2021.
She won the 2019 ITA Fall Singles national championship and was the ACC Player of the Year in 2021, the ACC Freshman of the Year in 2017 and a four-time All-ACC selection.
Daavettila led Carolina to ACC championships in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 (no championship was held in 2020 due to the pandemic), a 142-10 overall record, a 58-3 mark in regular-season ACC play, a 12-0 record in the ACC Championships, and two appearances in the NCAA Final Four.
She went on to play professional tennis on the WTA Tour.
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Daavettila led Carolina to four ACC women’s tennis championships and to ITA National Team Indoor Championships in 2018, 2020 and 2021. She was named the Most Outstanding Player following all three ITA championships, becoming the first player ever to receive the award more than once at the National Team Indoor Championships.
As a senior in 2021, Daavettila became the first Tar Heel women’s tennis player to win the Honda Sports Award, recognizing her as the national player of the year. The Williamston, Mich., native earned seven ITA All-America awards, tying 2015 Patterson Medal winner Hayley Carter for the most in UNC women’s tennis history. She was also named third-team Academic All-America in 2021.
Daavettila finished her career second at UNC with 149 singles victories, was the No. 1 seed in the 2021 NCAA Singles Championship and advanced to the semifinals. She became the fourth player in ACC history and only Tar Heel to reach the NCAA quarterfinals three times. She was No. 3 in the final ITA rankings in both singles and doubles in 2021.
She won the 2019 ITA Fall Singles national championship and was the ACC Player of the Year in 2021, the ACC Freshman of the Year in 2017 and a four-time All-ACC selection.
Daavettila led Carolina to ACC championships in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 (no championship was held in 2020 due to the pandemic), a 142-10 overall record, a 58-3 mark in regular-season ACC play, a 12-0 record in the ACC Championships, and two appearances in the NCAA Final Four.
She went on to play professional tennis on the WTA Tour.
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DUNKS
Saturday, January 10
Carolina Insider - Interview with Michael Busch (Full Segment) - January 9, 2026
Friday, January 09
MBB: Hubert Davis Pre-Wake Forest Press Conference
Friday, January 09
Carolina Insider - Football & Transfer Portal Notes (Full Segment) - January 9, 2026
Friday, January 09
