Wildcat Tennis Teams 5th & 8th in A-10 Preseason Poll
1/28/2015 1:20:00 PM | Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis
Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID
DavidsonPhotos.com
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Davidson men's and women's tennis teams were picked to finish fifth and eighth, respectively, in the 2015 Atlantic 10 coaches preseason polls released today by the league office.
Davidson is in its first year of play in the A-10 after making the move July 1, 2014 from the Southern Conference.
The Wildcat men were picked behind fourth-place Richmond, who they defeat last year 4-2 at home. The Spiders advanced to the A-10 championship match before falling to George Washington, which was predicted to repeat as A-10 champs. The Colonials, ranked 54th to open the season in the ITA rankings, will visit Davidson, March 14.
No. 50 VCU, which received five of the 12 first-place votes, was picked second, while Duquesne was picked third.
On the women's side, the Wildcats were picked behind Saint Joseph's, which will come to Davidson, March 15. For the third straight year, the VCU Rams were picked to win the A-10 Championship as they received all 14 first-place votes. George Washington and Richmond were tied for second place, while Massachusetts, Saint Louis and Fordham rounded out the 4-6 spots.
The men's team, under the guidance of ninth-year head coach Drew Barrett, returns six letterwinners from last year's squad. They have three returning starters back and Barrett brought in a freshman class that was ranked 10th in the nation in the top-25 mid-major rankings according to tennisrecruiting.net, just behind fellow A-10 member George Washington (9th) and ahead of Dayton (14th).
As for the women's team, Davidson returns five letterwinners with three of them being starters. The program is under the guidance of first-year head coach Sara Anundsen, who took over for the retired Caroline Price in July after an outstanding 32-year run by the program under Price, who guided the 'Cats to the school's only national championship title.
Both teams already have one match under their belts, facing nationally-ranked Clemson and Virginia Tech. The men hosted the No. 24 Tigers, Jan. 17, and despite falling 7-0, battled in every match.
The women traveled to the No. 57 Hokies, Jan. 18, and dropped a 6-1 decision. The No. 1 doubles team of Jenna Brunner and Elaina Cummer upset Tech's top team, which was ranked 50th nationally, and the duo of Anna Catharine Feaster and Ally Sexton sealed up the doubles point with a 6-4 win.
The Wildcat men are back in action, Feb. 4, at home vs. Gardner-Webb, while the women play their home opener this weekend, Jan. 31, against Arkansas State.
2015 Men's Tennis Predicted Order of Finish (First Place Votes)
1. George Washington (7)
2. VCU (5)
3. Duquesne
4. Richmond
5. Davidson
6. Dayton
7. George Mason
8. Saint Joseph's
9. Saint Louis
10. St. Bonaventure
11. Fordham
12. La Salle
2015 Women's Tennis Predicted Order of Finish (First Place Votes)
1. VCU (14)
T-2. George Washington
T-2. Richmond
4. Massachusetts
5. Saint Louis
6. Fordham
7. Saint Joseph's
8. Davidson
9. Duquesne
10. Rhode Island
T-11. St. Bonaventure
T-11. George Mason
T-11. Dayton
14. La Salle
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Davidson men's and women's tennis teams were picked to finish fifth and eighth, respectively, in the 2015 Atlantic 10 coaches preseason polls released today by the league office.
Davidson is in its first year of play in the A-10 after making the move July 1, 2014 from the Southern Conference.
The Wildcat men were picked behind fourth-place Richmond, who they defeat last year 4-2 at home. The Spiders advanced to the A-10 championship match before falling to George Washington, which was predicted to repeat as A-10 champs. The Colonials, ranked 54th to open the season in the ITA rankings, will visit Davidson, March 14.
No. 50 VCU, which received five of the 12 first-place votes, was picked second, while Duquesne was picked third.
On the women's side, the Wildcats were picked behind Saint Joseph's, which will come to Davidson, March 15. For the third straight year, the VCU Rams were picked to win the A-10 Championship as they received all 14 first-place votes. George Washington and Richmond were tied for second place, while Massachusetts, Saint Louis and Fordham rounded out the 4-6 spots.
The men's team, under the guidance of ninth-year head coach Drew Barrett, returns six letterwinners from last year's squad. They have three returning starters back and Barrett brought in a freshman class that was ranked 10th in the nation in the top-25 mid-major rankings according to tennisrecruiting.net, just behind fellow A-10 member George Washington (9th) and ahead of Dayton (14th).
As for the women's team, Davidson returns five letterwinners with three of them being starters. The program is under the guidance of first-year head coach Sara Anundsen, who took over for the retired Caroline Price in July after an outstanding 32-year run by the program under Price, who guided the 'Cats to the school's only national championship title.
Both teams already have one match under their belts, facing nationally-ranked Clemson and Virginia Tech. The men hosted the No. 24 Tigers, Jan. 17, and despite falling 7-0, battled in every match.
The women traveled to the No. 57 Hokies, Jan. 18, and dropped a 6-1 decision. The No. 1 doubles team of Jenna Brunner and Elaina Cummer upset Tech's top team, which was ranked 50th nationally, and the duo of Anna Catharine Feaster and Ally Sexton sealed up the doubles point with a 6-4 win.
The Wildcat men are back in action, Feb. 4, at home vs. Gardner-Webb, while the women play their home opener this weekend, Jan. 31, against Arkansas State.
2015 Men's Tennis Predicted Order of Finish (First Place Votes)
1. George Washington (7)
2. VCU (5)
3. Duquesne
4. Richmond
5. Davidson
6. Dayton
7. George Mason
8. Saint Joseph's
9. Saint Louis
10. St. Bonaventure
11. Fordham
12. La Salle
2015 Women's Tennis Predicted Order of Finish (First Place Votes)
1. VCU (14)
T-2. George Washington
T-2. Richmond
4. Massachusetts
5. Saint Louis
6. Fordham
7. Saint Joseph's
8. Davidson
9. Duquesne
10. Rhode Island
T-11. St. Bonaventure
T-11. George Mason
T-11. Dayton
14. La Salle
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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