Cullowhee, N.C. – For the second time this season, Western Carolina junior Jade Groen has been named the Southern Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week by the league office. Groen posted an impressive 3-0 week in singles play and scored a Top 100 doubles victory.

Groen is now the first Catamount women's tennis player to earn three career weekly honors, breaking a tie at two with Jacy Smith who earned plaudits for her play in 2019 and 2020.  

Groen's third career plaudit comes after a busy week for the Catamounts as the junior opened Southern Conference play against Furman with a three-set win over last week's player of the week, Sara Snyder. After falling in the first set 2-6, Groen rallied with a 6-2 win in set two before claiming a 6-4 decision in set three for her first three-set win. She improved to 3-0 in her career against the Paladins in singles play.

The Zoetermeer, Netherlands product also earned a Top 100 doubles win against the Paladins, partnered with Chloe Schwarz to power to a 7-5 top-court victory over the 58th-ranked duo of Snyder and Ellie Schulson.

Groen finished her week with a 2-0 singles record against mountain-rival UNC Asheville and Kennesaw State, earning both wins in straight sets. She pushed the Catamounts to a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over the Bulldogs with a 6-3, 6-1 win before capping off the week with a 6-2, 6-3 win against the Owls.

The Catamount junior is now 8-2 in singles play this season and holds a 7-2 standing as the top seed. She is also nearing history in the Catamount record books, sitting second in career singles victories with 37 – just one away from tying Jordan Strickland's top mark of 38.  

Groen and the Catamounts are back in action next week as they face Fairleigh Dickenson (FDU) on March 10, Lamar on March 12, and Fairfield on March 13 in neutral court matchups in Orlando, Fla. in a spring break tournament. WCU returns to Cullowhee on March 21 to host the NC A&T Aggies.