ITA NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Preseason Poll

AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's tennis team will enter its 2011 spring campaign as the 25^th-ranked team in NCAA Division II according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association preseason poll released on Wednesday, Nov. 10.

In the strongest region in NCAA Division II, USC Aiken commences the upcoming season ranked 10^th in the Southeast Region.

Returning All-America selection Gregory Andrade (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Unigrade Valinhos) was ranked 38^th in the preseason singles tally. He is 14^th in the Southeast preseason poll in singles.

Andrade was ranked as high as seventh nationally last season in doubles with partner Juan Xavier Ponce (Miami, Fla. /Drury University). Andrade and new doubles partner Bruno Orlandini (Araraquara, SP/Brazil/E.E.B.A) are dubbed as the 14^th best doubles team in the nation in the preseason national doubles poll. The duo is presently sixth in the Southeast region.

The USC Aiken men's tennis team was ranked in the top 30 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association for all of the 2010 spring season. The Pacers were ranked as high as 17^th nationally.

Playing one of the toughest schedules in all of NCAA Division II tennis, USC Aiken was able to make its fifth consecutive NCAA regional appearance. The Pacers bowed out in the first round, but still finished the year with a very respectable 11-12 overall record. In the toughest tennis league in all of NCAA Division II, USC Aiken finished with a 2-7 mark in the Peach Belt Conference.

The Pacers are one of seven Peach Belt Conference institutions ranked in the preseason top 25 with Armstrong Atlantic State (third), Columbus State (ninth), Georgia College (12^th), Francis Marion (14^th), Lander (15^th), Flagler (16^th) and Augusta State (18^th) all in the preseason poll.