INDIANAPOLIS -- Defending champions Green Bay and UIC were unanimous picks to repeat their men’s and women’s Horizon League Tennis Championships, respectively, in voting of the League’s coaches.
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team in the poll.
Green Bay, which captured its first Horizon League men’s tennis title last spring, picked up all six first-place votes on the men’s side to lead the poll with 36 points. This fall, sophomore Michael Tenzer advanced to the round of 16 in the Main Draw of the ITA Midwest Regional, picking up a pair of wins.
UIC has won 16 consecutive women’s tennis titles and 143 consecutive matches against Horizon League opponents; the Flames earned all seven first-place votes to top the women’s poll. Senior Haley Craig and junior Jana Knoppe will lead a squad that must replace four-time Horizon League Player of the Year Mariya Kovaleva.
Cleveland State took second in both polls; the Vikings’ streak of four consecutive men’s titles was ended last year in the championship, while the Viking women fell to UIC for the second straight season.
Wright State, the 2012 men’s regular season champion, was tabbed third on the men’s side. 2012 men’s coach of the year Sean McCaffrey will lead the Raiders, who return five of its six singles starters from last season.
Detroit earned the last first-place vote on the women’s side. Head coach Pjotrs Necjevs enters his second full season running the Titans’ program, led by Raina Halabi.
Milwaukee returns 2012 first team pick Maddy Soule and second team selection Chelsey Bailey and will be looking to reach the second day of the League tournament for the first time since 2009.
Taking fourth on the men’s side was Youngstown State; the Penguins have reached the League Tournament each of the last two years, only to lose in the opening round. On the women’s side, YSU was tabbed fifth.
Detroit, UIC and Valparaiso rounded out the men’s poll, while Wright State, Green Bay and Valpo closed the women’s.
The 2013 Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships will be held in Indianapolis, April 26-28. The top six teams on both sides will reach the tournament, with the top two seeds receiving byes into the semifinals. The League’s automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament will be decided on Sunday, April 28, with the Horizon League Network providing live coverage.
2013 Men’s Tennis Preseason Poll
Rank School (1st) Points
1. Green Bay (6) 36
2. Cleveland State (1) 30
3. Wright State 27
4. Youngstown State 19
5. Detroit 16
6. UIC 13
7. Valparaiso 6
2013 Women’s Tennis Preseason Poll
Rank School (1st) Points
1. UIC (7) 49
2. Cleveland State 38
3. Detroit (1) 36
4. Milwaukee 31
5. Youngstown State 27
6. Wright State 22
7. Green Bay 14
8. Valparaiso 7
