S.C. tennis teams picked to finish first in MEAC’s Southern Division
Saturday, January 10, 2009SCSU Sports Information
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Defending MEAC men’s and women’s champion South Carolina State tennis teams were predicted to finish first in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference southern division preseason poll, while Hampton University’s men’s and women’s tennis teams were selected as the top choices in the northern division preseason poll, as voted on by the leagues head tennis coaches and sports information directors.
South Carolina State tallied 10 first-place votes as the preseason favorite for the south. The Bulldogs ended the 2008 season with a 3-0 mark in conference play and 18-4 overall record en route to their fourth MEAC championship title in five years and seventh overall.
The Hampton Pirates concluded the 2008 season with a 5-0 MEAC mark and 8-8 overall record. They were chosen as the top pick in the men’s northern division poll unanimously with 20 first-place votes. The Pirates will return all of its letter winners from last year’s team and will welcome three newcomers.
Morgan State was predicted to finish second in the men’s northern division followed by Howard, Delaware State, Coppin State and Maryland Eastern Shore.
The Rattlers of Florida A&M, last year’s MEAC championship runners-up, earned nine first-place votes and were picked to finish second in the southern division. Bethune-Cookman and Norfolk State tied for third in the preseason poll.
In women’s action, the Lady Bulldogs, winners of the four consecutive MEAC titles, were the favorite in the southern division with 16 first-place votes. South Carolina State concluded the 2008 season with a 4-0 MEAC mark and 13-4 overall record.
The Lady Pirates received 21 of the possible 22 first-place votes to earn the nod to finish atop the northern division. Hampton posted a 5-0 MEAC mark during the 2008 season and an 8-10 record overall. They return five letter winners, including 2008 MEAC Player of the Year Na-Hyun Baek.
Delaware State was chosen to finish second in the northern division. Morgan State earned one first-place vote and was picked to finish third. Howard, Coppin State and Maryland Eastern Shore finished fourth through sixth, respectively in the preseason predictions.
Florida A&M received five first-place votes as the pick to finish second in the women’s southern division, followed by Bethune-Cookman, Norfolk State and North Carolina A&T.
Conference play begins on March 4 with four of the men’s and women’s teams in action. The 2009 MEAC Tennis Championship tournament is scheduled for April 17-19 at the Millbrook Tennis Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
2009 MEAC Women’s Tennis Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the leagues head coaches and sports information directors
(First place votes in parenthesis)
MEAC Northern Division
1. Hampton (21).............................. 261 pts.
2. Delaware State........................... 180 pts.
3. Morgan State (1)......................... 179 pts.
4. Howard....................................... 176 pts.
5. Coppin State............................... 131 pts.
6. Maryland Eastern Shore.............. 114 pts.
MEAC Southern Division
1. South Carolina State (16)............. 235 pts.
2. Florida A&M (5)........................... 189 pts.
3. Bethune-Cookman....................... 165 pts.
4. Norfolk State............................... 163 pts.
5. North Carolina A&T...................... 130 pts.
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