FOREST, Va. — Guilford College’s men’s tennis team was ranked third for the first time since 2006 in the 2013 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Preseason Coaches’ Poll released Thursday. The Quakers’ women were picked sixth in the preseason ratings, which is their highest ranking since 2008.
Third-year head coach Dave McCain’s Quakers trail Washington and Lee University and Bridgewater College in the men’s poll with 75 points. Guilford returns five letter winners from last year’s 7-10 team, including sophomore captain Turner Votipka, a 2011 First Team All-ODAC honoree. Seniors Mark Cheong, Ben Nelson, and Charlie Smith, plus three sophomores and three newcomers round out the lineup.
Washington and Lee also captured the top spot in the women’s poll with 121 points. The Quakers had 72 points, 13 points behind fifth-place Bridgewater. Guilford’s women’s team, also under the direction of McCain for the third year, returns seven letter winners from last year’s 9-9 club. Senior Kim Kleimeier, junior Natalie Sutton and sophomores Haley Andrews and Allison Hewitt received Third Team All-ODAC recognition for their 2012 performance at first and second doubles, respectively.
Both Guilford teams open the spring schedule Friday, Feb. 15 at home against Virginia Wesleyan College.
Listed below is the full 2013 ODAC Men’s and Women’s Tennis Preseason Polls. For more information on ODAC men’s and women’s tennis, visit any of the participating school’s websites, or go to the ODAC’s home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com. Don’t forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook. You can also follow the ODAC on Twitter @odacathletics.
2013 ODAC MEN'S TENNIS PRESEASON POLL (#) Denotes first-place votes 1. Washington and Lee (10) 100 pts. 2. Bridgewater (1) 86 pts. 3. Guilford 75 pts. 4. Emory & Henry 69 pts. 4. Virginia Wesleyan 69 pts. 6. Hampden-Sydney 53 pts. 7. Randolph-Macon 45 pts. 8. Roanoke 43 pts. 9. Shenandoah 25 pts. 10. Randolph 23 pts. 11. Lynchburg 17 pts. 2013 ODAC WOMEN'S TENNIS PRESEASON POLL (#) Denotes first-place votes 1. Washington and Lee (11) 121 pts. 2. Virginia Wesleyan (1) 99 pts. 3. Hollins 95 pts. 4. Roanoke 93 pts. 5. Bridgewater 85 pts. 6. Guilford 72 pts. 7. Randolph 59 pts. 8. Randolph-Macon 47 pts. 9. Emory & Henry 36 pts. 10. Shenandoah 31 pts. 11. Lynchburg 28 pts. 12. Sweet Briar 26 pts.