WCC Announces 2014 WCC Men's Tennis Preseason Poll
SAN BRUNO, Calif. --- The Portland Pilots were picked seventh in the 2014 West Coast Conference Men's Tennis Preseason Poll, the league announced on Monday. Portland received 28 points, while No. 13 Pepperdine was tabbed the preseason favorite with 80 total points and eight first place votes.
Portland returns an experienced roster with four seniors and a junior transfer to the lineup this spring. The Pilots (0-2) dropped a pair of close matches to quality opponents to open the dual season two weeks ago. Portland dropped a 5-2 decision to No. 37 Washington, then a 4-3 match to defending NCAA participant UC Santa Barbara.
No Pilots were named to the preseason All-WCC Team. Senior Ratan Gill was a second team all-league honoree last spring after posting a 12-9 mark at the top singles position, while senior Mikel Hu Kwo earned honorable mention status.
The always-competitive WCC featured five teams that reached the NCAA Tournament last year and three teams that are currently nationally ranked. In addition to Pepperdine, No. 40 San Diego and No. 45 BYU are ranked in the latest ITA poll.
This spring marks the third season all WCC men's tennis teams will compete in a single round robin regular season schedule and the 2014 campaign is the first to feature 10 teams. The 2014 WCC Championships will take place April 23-26 at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, Calif.
Portland will next take the court when it hosts Seattle on Friday, Feb. 14 at the Louisiana Pacific Tennis Center. All Portland home matches will feature live statistics and live video this season.
2014 Men's Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Pepperdine (8) - 80
2. San Diego (2) – 73
3. BYU – 61
T-4. San Francisco – 50
T-4. Santa Clara – 50
6. Pacific – 44
7. Portland – 28
8. Loyola Marymount – 27
9. Saint Mary's – 26
10. Gonzaga – 11
2014 Men's All-WCC Preseason Team
John Lamble, Sr., Santa Clara
Alvaro Nazal, Jr., Gonzaga
Alex Sarkissian, Sr., Pepperdine
Clarke Spinosa, Sr., San Diego
David Sofaer, Sr., Pepperdine
Sem Verbeek, So., Pacific
