CLEMSON, S.C. — Samantha Buyckx and Ali DeSpain have qualified as one of the 32 doubles pairs to compete for the National Doubles Championship in Champaign, Illinois from May 23-28. The duo is the first from Clemson to be selected for nationals since Marie-Alexandre Leduc and Fernanda Navarro in 2019.
Buyckx and DeSpain were brilliant for the Tigers all season, boasting a 13-7 record, including a 10-4 mark in dual matches and a 6-3 record in ACC play. In the five times they battled other nationally ranked pairs, they went 3-2. Most notably, they defeated the No. 11 ranked pair in Virginia’s Emma Navarro and Hibah Shaikh 6-1 late in the season. They also had a 5-4 lead over North Carolina’s No. 1 Fiona Crawley and Elizabeth Scotty before the match was abandoned.
“Ali and Sam have been a huge strength for us in doubles all season,” remarked Head Coach Christy Lynch. “This is a huge accomplishment for them and well deserved. We are look forward to them representing Clemson up at the NCAA Championships.”
The NCAA Doubles Championships will take place following the team championships in Champaign Illinois, beginning on May 23 and concluding on May 28.
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