PBC Dominates Campbell's/ITA Tennis Polls

The PBC has six women’s teams and seven men’s teams, including #1 Armstrong Atlantic State, ranked in the top 25 of the new Campbell’s/ITA tennis polls which were released this week. The PBC has by far the most men’s teams ranked in the poll while the league is tied with Sunshine State for the most women’s teams. PBC singles players also make up more than 25% of both the men’s and women’s individual ranks, which were also released.

On the women’s side, Armstrong Atlantic State fell from the top spot, where they had been ranked for nearly a year, after dropping a tight 5-4 decision to #2 Lynn on March 27. That match was literally decided by two points as the pivotal match came down to an 8-6 third-set tiebreak. Nevertheless, the defending national champions remain the highest-ranked PBC team at #3 in the new poll while Columbus State is #6 and Francis Marion #8. Clayton State is 11th in the poll while Augusta State is 19th and GCSU 22nd.

In the women’s individual ranks, AASU’s Sona Novakova remains the top-ranked singles player in the nation. The freshman from the Czech Republic is a perfect 14-0 at #1 singles and 15-0 overall in singles play. Columbus State’s Eva Petschnig is also in the top 10 at #6.

Armstrong Atlantic has four players overall in the singles ranks with Alida Muller-Wehlau at 16, Gabriella Kovacs at 19 and Martina Beckmann at #30. Columbus State’s Roxanna Dondera is 24th while teammate Hanne Toumi is 42nd. Francis Marion has two Patriots in the poll with Tereza Sykorova at 18th and Kristyna Horakova in 48th while Clayton State also has two players in the top 50 with Viktorya Semyrodenko at 23rd and Katie White at 35th. Augusta State’s Natalia Rodriques is 22nd while GCSU’s Marjorie Ceppo is ranked 47th.

In women’s doubles, the PBC has five teams in the top 25 including the AASU duo of Beckmann and Muller-Wehlau at #2 and teammates Novacova and Kovacs at #7. The Clayton State pair of Semyrodenko and White is ranked 6th while the Columbus State team of Petschnig and Groenwald is 14th and FMU’s Gavdunova and Horakova is 17th.

In the men’s poll, Armstrong Atlantic State reclaimed the #1 spot. The defending national champions were #1 to begin the season but lost that rank after falling to GCSU 5-4 on Feb. 24. However, since that time the Pirates have won 11 matches in a row and reside just ahead of #2 Lynn and #3 Barry.

GCSU remains in the top 10 at #6 while Columbus State is #8 and USC Aiken #9. The top-10 ranking for the Pacers is their first in school history and comes off a surprise 5-4 win over Hawaii Pacific. Francis Marion is 17th while Lander is 18th and Augusta State 24th.

In men’s singles, 14 PBC players are ranked in the top 50. Armstrong Atlantic State has three with Edualdo Bonet at #2, Paul Bishop at #23 and Mikk Irdoja at #25. GCSU also has three players ranked with Erick Siqueira in 8th, Justin Pickham in 15th and Francis Yoshimoto in 24th.

USC Aiken’s Bruno Seves is 6th while teammate Dagoberto Darezzo is 21st. Columbus State’s Frank Suarez is #16 in the nation while Dmitri Caron is 32nd while Lander’s Damien Cordesse is ranked #40 with teammate Shey Wali at #42.

The PBC tennis tournament begins on Friday, April 17, at the Clayton County Tennis Center in Jonesboro, Ga., and will be hosted by Clayton State University.

Campbell's/ITA Men's Tennis Poll

Campbell's/ITA Women's Tennis Poll