Hawks and Lady Hawks ranked 3rd in USA South preseason tennis polls
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Huntingdon men's and women's tennis teams are each ranked third in the West Division with the release of the USA South preseason polls on Thursday.
The Lady Hawks totaled 34 points in the women's West Division poll. Covenant, the 2017 USA South Tournament runner-up, is the preseason favorite in the West with four first-place votes and 43 points. Piedmont is second with three first-place votes and 42 points.
Behind Huntingdon, No. 4 LaGrange received one first-place vote and 31 points and Agnes Scott totaled 30 points. Rounding out the poll are No. 6 Maryville (22 points), No. 7 Berea (12 points) and No. 8 Wesleyan (10 points).
Two-time defending USA South Tournament champion Methodist is the preseason favorite in the East poll with six first-place votes and 60 points. North Carolina Wesleyan is second with two first-place votes and 58 points.
On the men's side, the third-place Hawks earned 17 points in the West Division poll. Covenant is No. 1 in the West with four first-place votes and 22 points and Piedmont is No. 2 with one first-place vote and 19 points.
Behind Huntingdon, LaGrange is fourth with 14 points, Maryville is fifth with one first-place vote and 13 points and Berea is sixth with five points.
Nine-time defending conference champion North Carolina Wesleyan leads the East Division poll with four first-place votes and 24 points. Methodist is second with two first-place votes and 21 points.
The Huntingdon men open the season on Feb. 9 in Jackson, Miss., against Centenary and Belhaven. The Lady Hawks open the season on Feb. 16 at Albany State.
The complete men's and women's East and West Division polls are listed below.
USA South Women's Tennis Preseason Poll
West Division
1. Covenant (4 first-place votes), 43 points
2. Piedmont (3), 42 points
3. Huntingdon, 34 points
4. LaGrange (1), 31 points
5. Agnes Scott, 30 points
6. Maryville, 22 points
7. Berea, 12 points
8. Wesleyan, 10 points
East Division
1. Methodist (6 first-place votes), 60 points
2. N.C. Wesleyan (2), 58 points
3. Meredith (1), 48 points
4. Averett, 46 points
5. Ferrum, 35 points
6. Salem, 29 points
7. William Peace, 22 points
8. Greensboro, 15 points
9. Mary Baldwin, 11 points
USA South Men's Tennis Preseason Poll
West Division
1. Covenant (4 first-place votes), 22 points
2. Piedmont (1), 19 points
3. Huntingdon, 17 points
4. LaGrange, 14 points
5. Maryville (1), 13 points
6. Berea, 5 points
East Division
1. N.C. Wesleyan (4 first-place votes), 24 points
2. Methodist (2), 21 points
3. Averett, 17 points
4. Ferrum, 14 points
T5. Greensboro, 7 points
T5. William Peace, 7 points