Lady Hawks ranked 2nd, men ranked 4th in USA South tennis poll
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Huntingdon women's tennis team is ranked second in the West Division and the men's tennis team is ranked fourth in the West Division with the release of the USA South preseason polls on Thursday.
This is the first year for divisional rankings in the conference poll.
The Lady Hawks earned 39 points in the women's West Division poll. Preseason favorite Covenant picked up six first-place votes and 44 points. Covenant was the conference tournament runner-up last season.
Third-place Piedmont earned one first-place vote and 38 points and fourth-place Agnes Scott had one first-place vote and 35 points. Rounding out the West Division poll are No. 5 LaGrange (27 points), No. 6 Maryville (20 points), No. 7 Salem (13 points) and No. 8 Wesleyan (8 points).
Defending USA South Champion Methodist is the preseason favorite in the East Division with five first-place votes and 47 points.
On the men's side, the No. 4 Hawks earned eight points in the West Division poll. Preseason favorite Piedmont picked up three first-place votes and 15 points. Covenant is No. 2 with two first-place votes and 14 points and LaGrange is third with nine points. Maryville rounds out the West Division in fifth with four points.
Eight-time defending conference champion North Carolina Wesleyan leads the East Division poll with five first-place votes and 25 points. Conference runner-up Methodist was second with 20 points.
The Lady Hawks open the season on Feb. 12 at home against Albany State at 1 p.m. The Huntingdon men open the season on Feb. 17 against Christian Brothers in Memphis, Tenn.
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 (6 first-place votes), 44 points
2. Huntingdon, 39 points
3. Piedmont (1), 38 points
4. Agnes Scott (1), 35 points
5. LaGrange, 27 points
6. Maryville, 20 points
7. Salem, 13 points
8. Wesleyan, 8 points
East Division
1. Methodist (5 first-place votes), 47 points
2. N.C. Wesleyan (3), 43 points
3. Meredith, 36 points
4. Averett, 34 points
5. Ferrum, 19 points
6. William Peace, 18 points
7. Mary Baldwin, 17 points
8. Greensboro, 10 points
USA South Men's Tennis Preseason Poll
West Division
1. Piedmont (3 first-place votes), 15 points
2. Covenant (2), 14 points
3. LaGrange, 9 points
4. Huntingdon, 8 points
5. Maryville, 4 points
East Division
1. N.C. Wesleyan (5 first-place votes), 25 points
2. Methodist, 20 points
3. Averett (1), 18 points
4. Ferrum, 14 points
T5. Greensboro, 7 points
T5. William Peace, 7 points