Huntingdon women’s tennis ranked third in preseason USA South poll

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Huntingdon women's tennis team made a habit of reaching the conference tournament championship as a member of the Great South Athletic Conference.

Now, in their first season as a member of the USA South Athletic Conference, expectations remain high for the Lady Hawks. Huntingdon is ranked third in the USA South preseason poll released on Wednesday.

The Lady Hawks were 18-4 last season, won the GSAC regular-season title and advanced to the GSAC tournament championship for a seventh straight season before falling to Agnes Scott.

Huntingdon earned 120 points in the USA South preseason poll and is ranked behind preseason favorite and four-time defending USA South champion Methodist and second-ranked Meredith.

Methodist received 12 first-place votes and a total of 144 points. Meredith, which finished third in the regular-season standings a year ago, picked up one first-place vote and 129 points.

Rounding out the top-5 are Piedmont (107 points) at fourth and Maryville (95 points) at fifth.

Huntingdon opens the season on Feb. 11 at home against Point University. The Lady Hawks will play their first conference match on March 1 at home against William Peace.

The complete poll is listed below.

USA South Women's Tennis Preseason Poll  

1. Methodist (12 first-place votes), 144 points

2. Meredith (1), 129 points

3. Huntingdon, 120 points

4. Piedmont, 107 points

5. Maryville, 95 points

6. N.C. Wesleyan, 83 points

7, LaGrange, 82 points

8. Covenant, 71 points                                                                                                   

9. Ferrum, 57 points

10. William Peace, 45 points

11. Greensboro, 34 points

12. Averett, 26 points

13. Mary Baldwin, 21 points