University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: UNC Athletic Communications
On This Date April 24: 2011, 2016 ACC Titles
April 24, 2020 | Women's Tennis
April 24 is another day that stands out for the Carolina women's tennis program. The Tar Heels won a pair of ACC Championships during the 2011 and 2016 seasons on this date.
2011 (Cary, N.C.)
North Carolina finally returned to the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference with the program's first conference championship in nine seasons.
Though it was the sixth league crown for UNC, more importantly it marked the first title for head coach Brian Kalbas with the Tar Heels.
Shinann Featherston's thrilling three-set win over Noemie Scharle gave Carolina a 4-3 win over fifth-seeded Florida State. Zoe De Bruycker, Jelena Durisic and Gina Suarez-Malaguti were also singles winners for Carolina, who dropped the doubles point but rallied to win the championship.
"I feel that now, we as a program, have gotten to the point where we belong with the other amazing North Carolina teams," head coach Brian Kalbas said after the match.
"North Carolina has had such a great tradition of excellence in athletics and for us to win an ACC Championship in women's tennis is a testament that we have a program that is up to the caliber that of the other programs here at UNC. This is why I came to North Carolina, to compete for championships, so I am really excited for our team."
Featherston, who fought off a match point at 30-40 and 4-5 in the third set, opened the tiebreak with a 2-0 lead. After Scharle tied it at 2, Featherston eventually got a mini-break and held serve to make the score 6-4. On match point, Scharle sent a ball long to give Featherston the 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4) victory.
"It usually happens that I'm the last one out there on the court for whatever odd reason," Featherston said after the match. "It's happened a lot. I love being the last one out there. I know I have it in me to win, and that's all I think about. I refuse to lose. If I get hurt, I don't care. If I have to stay out on the court for hours, that's what I will do."
"For her to clinch the match yesterday and today shows what a great competitor, fighter and teammate she is to everyone," Kalbas said of Featherston, who was named the event's Most Valuable Performer. "If anyone deserves it, it's her."
2016 (Cary, N.C.)
North Carolina's three seniors had accomplished so much in their four years, but one trophy that had eluded this group was an Atlantic Coast Conference Championship.
Inserted into the singles lineup for the first time all weekend, senior Kate Vialle clinched a 4-2 victory for the top-seeded Tar Heels over Miami, giving Carolina its first ACC title since 2011 and the seventh in program history.
"Just so proud of our team," said head coach Brian Kalbas. "There were so many momentum switches throughout the match. I'm just really excited for our seniors to win this, they've had such amazing careers!"
Kalbas has never been afraid to tinker with his lineup over the years, and the five-time ACC Coach of the Year made a calculated decision to start Vialle over freshman Chloe Ouellet-Pizer, a high-caliber player in her own right that has won 29 singles matches in her rookie season.
Bothered by an injury to her right foot that limited her to strictly doubles play the last couple weeks of the regular season, Vialle went the distance in three sets to top Silvia Fuentes 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
"She's as tough as they come," Kalbas said. "She clinched the Virginia match for us this year. She's a senior and I felt like in this environment you want your seniors to be out there. This is so wonderful for her and to see her clinch was awesome."
Leading 3-2, Carolina seniors Ashley Dai and Vialle continued to fight into third sets. Dai was letting her match slip away trailing 4-1 to Ana Madcur on court six, but at the same time Vialle found another gear late in the match. In the final point, Fuentes' looping volley sailed long and the Tar Heels erupted into a wild celebration knowing the three seniors were going out as champions.
"I think that's why there was so much emotion because we wanted to send them out the best way possible and I think we were able to do that today," said Hayley Carter, who was named Most Valuable Player of the ACC Championship.
"This is going to be a moment I remember for the rest of my life," said Carter. "We've been talking about (winning the ACC title) since I got to school here so it's great to finally achieve it."
2011 (Cary, N.C.)
North Carolina finally returned to the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference with the program's first conference championship in nine seasons.
Though it was the sixth league crown for UNC, more importantly it marked the first title for head coach Brian Kalbas with the Tar Heels.
Shinann Featherston's thrilling three-set win over Noemie Scharle gave Carolina a 4-3 win over fifth-seeded Florida State. Zoe De Bruycker, Jelena Durisic and Gina Suarez-Malaguti were also singles winners for Carolina, who dropped the doubles point but rallied to win the championship.
"I feel that now, we as a program, have gotten to the point where we belong with the other amazing North Carolina teams," head coach Brian Kalbas said after the match.
"North Carolina has had such a great tradition of excellence in athletics and for us to win an ACC Championship in women's tennis is a testament that we have a program that is up to the caliber that of the other programs here at UNC. This is why I came to North Carolina, to compete for championships, so I am really excited for our team."
Featherston, who fought off a match point at 30-40 and 4-5 in the third set, opened the tiebreak with a 2-0 lead. After Scharle tied it at 2, Featherston eventually got a mini-break and held serve to make the score 6-4. On match point, Scharle sent a ball long to give Featherston the 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4) victory.
"It usually happens that I'm the last one out there on the court for whatever odd reason," Featherston said after the match. "It's happened a lot. I love being the last one out there. I know I have it in me to win, and that's all I think about. I refuse to lose. If I get hurt, I don't care. If I have to stay out on the court for hours, that's what I will do."
"For her to clinch the match yesterday and today shows what a great competitor, fighter and teammate she is to everyone," Kalbas said of Featherston, who was named the event's Most Valuable Performer. "If anyone deserves it, it's her."
2016 (Cary, N.C.)
North Carolina's three seniors had accomplished so much in their four years, but one trophy that had eluded this group was an Atlantic Coast Conference Championship.
Inserted into the singles lineup for the first time all weekend, senior Kate Vialle clinched a 4-2 victory for the top-seeded Tar Heels over Miami, giving Carolina its first ACC title since 2011 and the seventh in program history.
"Just so proud of our team," said head coach Brian Kalbas. "There were so many momentum switches throughout the match. I'm just really excited for our seniors to win this, they've had such amazing careers!"
Kalbas has never been afraid to tinker with his lineup over the years, and the five-time ACC Coach of the Year made a calculated decision to start Vialle over freshman Chloe Ouellet-Pizer, a high-caliber player in her own right that has won 29 singles matches in her rookie season.
Bothered by an injury to her right foot that limited her to strictly doubles play the last couple weeks of the regular season, Vialle went the distance in three sets to top Silvia Fuentes 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
"She's as tough as they come," Kalbas said. "She clinched the Virginia match for us this year. She's a senior and I felt like in this environment you want your seniors to be out there. This is so wonderful for her and to see her clinch was awesome."
Leading 3-2, Carolina seniors Ashley Dai and Vialle continued to fight into third sets. Dai was letting her match slip away trailing 4-1 to Ana Madcur on court six, but at the same time Vialle found another gear late in the match. In the final point, Fuentes' looping volley sailed long and the Tar Heels erupted into a wild celebration knowing the three seniors were going out as champions.
"I think that's why there was so much emotion because we wanted to send them out the best way possible and I think we were able to do that today," said Hayley Carter, who was named Most Valuable Player of the ACC Championship.
"This is going to be a moment I remember for the rest of my life," said Carter. "We've been talking about (winning the ACC title) since I got to school here so it's great to finally achieve it."
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
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