GREENVILLE, S.C. – Three members of the Barton women's tennis team – sophomore
Alejandra Carmona Garcia (Fraga, SPAIN), junior
Aarni Yellu (Hyderabad, INDIA) and senior
Leonie Hellum-Lilleengen (Bekkestua, NORWAY) – earned 2026 All-Conference Carolinas accolades.
Garcia was named to the second team while Yellu and Hellum-Lilleengen earned third-team all-league accolades.
Garcia is currently 11-6 on the season in singles competition including a 7-4 mark in conference play and has picked up eight victories in doubles.
Hellum-Lilleengen has posted a 13-4 mark as a singles competitor including a 9-2 record in Conference Carolinas play. At doubles, Hellum-Lilleengen has eight victories as well including two with Garcia.
Yellu has an 8-6 record in singles play - 5-3 against league competition - with seven victories in doubles action.
Both players led the Barton to a 12-6 record – 8-3 in league play – and a share of the East Division Championship. The Bulldogs are the fourth seed in the league tournament and will face fifth-seeded Shorter today at 5:30 p.m., in Sumter, S.C., in the opening round.
2026 All-Conference Carolinas
Women's Tennis Teams
FIRST TEAM
Khushi Kharb, Converse
Pati Vedia Sanchez, Lees-McRae
Futaba Saito, Young Harris
Lina Ngassi Saqout, Lees-McRae
Viviana Gomez, Young Harris
Alexis Burkhalter, Belmont Abbey
SECOND TEAM
Lara Lanno, Francis Marion
Nina Bernier, Mount Olive
Simone Szovan, Mount Olive
Alejandra Carmona Garcia, Barton
Anjela Mrvaljevic, North Greenville
Hanna Vasconez, Erskine
THIRD TEAM
Valentina Guerrero, Erskine
Magdalena Skachova, Francis Marion
Kaitlin Nguyen, Belmont Abbey
Mackenzie McCarthy, Belmont Abbey
Leonie Hellum-Lilleengen, Barton
Aarni Yellu, Barton
Player of the Year
Khushi Kharb, Converse
Freshman of the Year
Lexie Gillespie, Young Harris
Coach of the Year
Marcy O'Connor, Young Harris
