Reese Brantmeier Dominates Early Season, Earns ACC Player and Doubles Honors
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The ACC handed out its weekly women’s tennis awards Tuesday, and North Carolina’s Reese Brantmeier didn’t just take one - she doubled down. The Tar Heels senior was named ACC Player of the Week and, alongside partner Alanis Hamilton, also earned Doubles Team of the Week honors. It’s the first time either has claimed the weekly nod this season, and if their current form is any indication, it won’t be the last.
Brantmeier came into the spring with a target on her back, ranked No. 1 in the nation after capturing the NCAA Singles National Championship. So far, she’s wearing that crown like it was custom-fit. She’s opened the dual season with a 3-0 mark in singles, including two ranked wins that showcased just how dialed in she is right now.
Her most eye-catching performance? A clinical takedown of No.
30 Vivian Yang from No. 14 Virginia, where Brantmeier dropped just three games total in a 6-1, 6-2 win.
She followed that up by blanking Charlotte’s No. 72 Ni Xi, 6-0, 6-0 - a statement win that helped UNC notch its first ranked team victory of the season.
But Brantmeier’s not just doing damage solo.
In doubles, she and Hamilton entered the spring ranked No. 11 and have looked every bit the part of a top-tier tandem. They’ve raced out to a 4-0 start, picking up a pair of ranked victories along the way.
Their biggest came against Virginia’s No. 10 duo of Xu and Genis Salas - a 6-3 win that helped set the tone in a pivotal team matchup. They also rolled past Charlotte’s No. 47-ranked pair, 6-2, to clinch the doubles point in a match that ultimately secured UNC’s spot in the ITA Team National Indoor Championship.
So far this season, Brantmeier is doing what top players are supposed to do - dominate. She’s anchoring UNC’s lineup with veteran poise and elite shot-making, and her partnership with Hamilton is proving to be one of the most reliable doubles pairings in the country. With this kind of early-season momentum, the Tar Heels are building something dangerous - and Brantmeier is right at the heart of it.