VCU GARNERS ITA NATIONAL RANKINGS; DOUBLES TEAM 17TH
1-10-06

RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Commonwealth University Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams each drew spots in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s initial rankings for the 2006 season, while four Rams’ players received individual nods.

The VCU men were slotted 33rd, which was first among Colonial Athletic Association teams. Other CAA squads in the top 75 were William & Mary (65th) and Old Dominion (66th). Last season the Rams finished with a final ranking of 35th and made the NCAA Tournament for the 13th consecutive year.

On the individual side, VCU junior Arnaud Lecloerec (Plouhinec, France) (pictured) drew the 52nd spot among the ITA’s top singles players. In 2005 Lecloerec earned All-America status after advancing to the NCAA Singles Round of 32. Also, sophomore Sebastian Ripoll (Mauleon-Soule, France) was slotted 85th.

The Black and Gold women’s team also drew high honors, commandeering the 49th spot in the nation, according to the ITA. VCU, which has made the NCAA Tournament field five out of the last eight years, was ranked 54th at the end of the 2005 season.

Additionally, the Rams’ No. 1 doubles team of sophomore Marianna Yuferova (St. Petersburg, Russia) and junior Olga Borisova (Minsk, Belarus) were penciled in as the nation’s 17th-best duo. Borisova and Yuferova were All-Americans in 2005 after earning berths into the NCAA Doubles Quarterfinals. The pair finished 16th in the ITA’s final rankings of the season, while Yuferova landed in 39th in the singles poll.

The VCU men’s team will kick off its season on Friday, Jan. 20 with the VCU 4-1 Invitational at the Thalhimer Tennis Center.