HIGH POINT, N.C.—The Limestone College men’s tennis team was picked No. 3 in the Conference Carolinas Preseason Coaches’ poll, as announced by the conference office on Friday. The Saints, who earned the program’s first ever NCAA tournament bid last spring, are eager to contend for the 2010 conference title. The team was ranked No. 33 in the national ITA preseason poll and No. 10 in the Southeast region.
Limestone returns six players from last year’s roster, including
Miguel Lopez Zuniga (Guanajuato, Mexico), who is ranked No. 10 in the region and No. 47 in the country in singles. Other key returners include
Henrik Nordquist (Danderyd, Stockholm, Sweden),
Paulo Avila (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), and
Christian Warnholtz (Queretaro, Mexico). The team has added two talented players in transfers
Jordan Vicain (Allen, Texas) and
Mike Stephenson (Bristol, England).
Lees-McRae, currently ranked No. 15 in the country, topped the poll. No. 22-ranked Anderson University was picked No. 2. Queens University and Mount Olive rounded out the top five, followed by Barton College at No. 6. Erskine and Pfeiffer tied for seventh, with Coker and Belmont Abbey taking the ninth and tenth slots, respectively.
Limestone will begin the spring season on February 6 when the team hosts the College of Charleston on February 6 at the Emmie Evans Rector Tennis Center in Gaffney, S.C.
Conference Carolinas Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(first place votes in parentheses)
1. Lees-McRae College (7) 77
2. Anderson University (2) 71
3. Limestone College 64
4. Queens University 52
5. Mount Olive College (1) 50
6. Barton College 46
T7. Erskine College 32
T7. Pfeiffer University 32
9. Coker College 17
10. Belmont Abbey 9