Lynn University's Women’s Tennis Picked Third In National Preseason Poll

Skillman, N.J. - Lynn University’s women’s tennis team has been ranked third in the Campbell/ITA Division II National Preseason Poll as announced Wednesday morning.  Senior Eli Iannozzi is also ranked fifth individually and the duo of Maggie Ekert and Isabell Raich are ranked sixth in doubles.

“To have six players ranked in the top 22 in the country is a tremendous achievement for the girls,” said head coach Mike Perez.  “In my coaching career I have never had six ranked in the top 50, so it is a great honor, but the ranking I care most about is the final one in May.”

No other team in the country had more than three players in the top 22.

After dominating the ITA South Regional, placing four individuals in the final four and six of the final eight, Lynn also earned the top ranking in the South Region.  Just ahead of the Fighting Knights in the national poll are Armstrong Atlantic and BYU-Hawaii, while directly behind Lynn is Sunshine State Conference rival Barry.  West Florida rounds out the top five.

Iannozzi won the ITA South Regional and moved onto the Small College National Championship, where she fell in the first round to Julia Mongin of Abilene Christian.  Iannozzi is ranked behind Alida Muller-Wehlau of Armstrong Atlantic, BYU-Hawaii’s Yuan Jia and Elwen Li, as well as Mongin.

Also ranked in the women’s singles poll are Jessica Yanoff at nine, Maggie Ekert at 11, Isabella Raich at 13, Andrea Berkova at 21 and Ioana Ivan at 22.

Ekert and Raich fell in the finals of the ITA South Regional to place them sixth in the doubles poll while the duo of Ivan/Yanoff is ranked tenth.

Lynn opens the 2011 spring season when they travel to SSC rival Saint Leo on Saturday, February 5, at 10 am.  The Blue & White’s home opener is scheduled for Friday, February 11, against Hillsborough CC, at 6 pm at the Perper Tennis Complex.