The Lewis-Clark State College men’s tennis team is ranked No. 16 in the preseason edition of the 2011 NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 poll, the NAIA announced on Tuesday.
The Warriors, 1-2 on the season with all matches coming against NCAA Division I schools, were ranked 18th in the final poll a year ago.
LCSC is in a new grouping to qualify for nationals this season and will have its work cut out for it because Oklahoma Christian is at No. 6, while Oklahoma Baptist is at No. 24. Only the tournament champion from this grouping will receive an automatic berth to nationals. The others will have to hope for one of nine at-large berths.
Along with playing both of those teams, the Warrior schedule is full of Top 25 opponents this season. During its annual trip to California, LCSC will play No. 4 Azusa Pacific, No. 6 Vanguard, No. 10 Point Loma Nazarene, and Biola, which received votes in the poll.
The Warriors are back in action this week for a pair of home matches. LCSC plays host to Whitworth on Saturday at 11 a.m., and College of Idaho on Sunday at 9 a.m. Both will be played at the LCSC Tennis Center.
2011 Preseason Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll - Feb. 1
|
RANK
|
LAST WEEK ^
|
SCHOOL
|
TOTAL POINTS
|
|
1
|
1
|
Fresno Pacific University (Calif.)
|
309
|
|
2
|
2
|
Auburn University Montgomery (Ala.)
|
305
|
|
3
|
4
|
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.)
|
288
|
|
4
|
3
|
Azusa Pacific University (Calif.)
|
286
|
|
5
|
5
|
Concordia University (Calif.)
|
271
|
|
6
|
7
|
Oklahoma Christian University
|
257
|
|
6
|
6
|
Vanguard University (Calif.)
|
257
|
|
8
|
8
|
Westmont College (Calif.)
|
235
|
|
9
|
10
|
Graceland University (Iowa)
|
229
|
|
10
|
9
|
Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.)
|
221
|
|
11
|
13
|
Union College (Ky.)
|
214
|
|
12
|
14
|
Shorter University (Ga.)
|
201
|
|
13
|
11
|
Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.)
|
184
|
|
14
|
16
|
Xavier University (La.)
|
183
|
|
15
|
15
|
Saint Thomas University (Fla.)
|
164
|
|
16
|
18
|
Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho)
|
155
|
|
17
|
12
|
Martin Methodist College (Tenn.)
|
148
|
|
18
|
17
|
Tennessee Wesleyan College
|
130
|
|
19
|
21
|
Webber International University (Fla.)
|
129
|
|
20
|
19
|
McKendree University (Ill.)
|
117
|
|
21
|
RV
|
Aquinas College (Mich.)
|
101
|
|
22
|
25
|
Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.)
|
85
|
|
23
|
24
|
Lee University (Tenn.)
|
80
|
|
24
|
20
|
Oklahoma Baptist University
|
72
|
|
24
|
RV
|
SCAD Savannah (Ga.)
|
72
|
Others receiving votes: Cumberland (Tenn.) 57; Bethany (Kan.) 47; Bethel (Tenn.) 41; Biola (Calif.) 31; Lindenwood (Mo.) 30; Northwood (Fla.) 26; Huntington (Ind.) 23; William Carey (Miss.) 15; Walsh (Ohio) 12; Campbellsville (Ky.) 4; Indiana Tech 3; Georgetown (Ky.) 1; Mobile (Ala.) 1; Warner (Fla.) 1; Belhaven (Miss.) 1
^Final rating from the 2010 regular season Top 25 (May 4, 2010)
