ROCK HILL, S.C. - Following last season's appearance in the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament, the Anderson University women's tennis team has been selected as the preseason pick to finish second in the conference this season by the league's coaches.
The Trojans tallied 84 points coming off its first season in the SAC. The Trojans return five letterwinners from last season's 12-8 squad and have added three newcomers to the talent-laden team. Among the returners is sophomore Lauren Trumbull, a preseason All-SAC First Team selection, junior Camie Beaulieu-Brunet, who is currently ranked 18th in the Southeast Region and Second-Team Preseason All-SAC honoree Avery Owens.
Trumbull posted a stellar 15-2 singles' mark last season, while going undefeated in league play, at 9-0. She teamed with Owens to notch 13 doubles victories, primarily at the No. 2 slot. Beaulieu-Brunet went 7-12 at No. 1 singles, while earning a 7-8 record on the doubles' side. Owens, a sophomore, went 10-10 in singles and an impressive 14-6 in doubles' action.
Wingate, the defending conference champion, earned the top spot in the poll, receiving 96 points and seven first-place votes. WU's lineup will be anchored by 2011 SAC Freshman of the Year and 2012 preseason All-SAC First Team selection Ali Evers. Evers is currently rated 16th in the ITA Southeast Region Rankings, which are based off fall tournament results.
She is joined on the Bulldogs' roster by preseason All-SAC Second Team selections Morgan Winston and Olivia Poole.
Picked to finish third was Lincoln Memorial with 77 points
followed by Tusculum, which tallied 66 points, including two
first-place votes. LMU placed two players on the preseason
All-Conference First Team in Leah Donoff and Sofia Lopez
Mimendi.
Mars Hill was selected to finish fifth with 61 points and one
first-place vote. The Lions' lineup will be led by 2011 SAC Player
of the Year Erika Pinate.
Behind MHC was Brevard at No. 6 and Newberry at No. 7. Lindsay
Hostetter is back for her final season at Brevard and was named to
the preseason All-SAC First Team.
Carson-Newman finished a point behind the Wolves to come in at No.
8 in the preseason poll, while Catawba was projected to finish
ninth. Rounding out the poll is Lenoir-Rhyne at No. 10.
Anderson opens its 2012 slate on Monday, Feb. 2, when the Trojans visit NCAA Division I opponent USC Upstate in Spartanburg.
The top six teams in the final standings will advance to the 2012 Food Lion SAC Championship. This season's tournament will again be held in Rock Hill, S.C. at the Rock Hill Tennis Center on April 19-22.
SAC 2012 Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches Poll
Team Points (1st-place votes)
1. Wingate 96 (7)
2. Anderson 84
3. Lincoln Memorial 77
4. Tusculum 66 (2)
5. Mars Hill 61 (1)
6. Brevard 55
7. Newberry 37
8. Carson-Newman 36
9. Catawba 28
10. Lenoir-Rhyne 10
Preseason All-SAC First Team
Lauren Trumbull, Anderson
Lindsay Hostetter, Brevard
Leah Donoff, Lincoln Memorial
Sofia Lopez Mimendi, Lincoln Memorial
Erika Pinate, Mars Hill
Ali Evers, Wingate
Morgan Winston, Wingate
Olivia Poole, Wingate
Preseason All-SAC Second Team
Avery Owens, Anderson
Claire Dillman, Brevard
Michelle Prata, Brevard
Kylie Elliot, Carson-Newman
Kelsey Love, Lenoir-Rhyne
Emily Mauser, Lenoir-Rhyne
Alexandra Granger, Lincoln Memorial
Tatiana Dualiby, Mars Hill
