March 23, 2011
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - In the latest Campbell/ITA Tennis Rankings released today (Mar. 22), the Texas A&M men's tennis team has risen to No. 6 in the land based upon their wins over Top 6 clubs Ohio State and Illinois in College Station and a victory over California in Berkeley last week. The team is 15-4 on the year and will open Big 12 play later this week.
Under the guidance of Texas A&M head coach Steve Denton and assistant coach Bob McKinley, who took over the tennis program in 2006-07, the Aggie tennis program has continued to rise. Last year the Aggies rose as high as No. 9 (Apr. 13 poll) and finished the year ranked No. 10. In the spring of 2009 the Aggies finished No. 14 and in 2008 a final ranking of No. 23 marked the A&M program.
After beginning the year at No. 10, the Aggies slid back to No. 14 in the Feb.22 poll and slid another four spots to No. 18 on Mar. 1. That first week of March, the Aggies went on the road and defeated Notre Dame and Wisconsin to move up one spot to No. 17. Ohio State came to Aggieland ranked No. 5 in the country and after A&M beat the Buckeyes, 4-0, the Aggies came back and beat No. 6 Illinois, 7-0. Texas A&M made the largest jump of any team last week moving from No. 17 all the way to No. 7.
Last week, the Aggies went on the road and defeated California when they were ranked No. 5, 6-1. A&M would lose a tough 4-3 match to No. 11 Pepperdine on Saturday.
This week A&M will continue on the road as the team travels to Stillwater on Friday and then to Norman, Oklahoma, on Sunday. The Sooners are currently ranked No. 30 in the latest rankings.
The last time an Aggie men's tennis team was ranked higher than No. 7 was in the spring of 2000 and 2001 when A&M rose as high as No. 4 in the land.
Campell/ITA Men's Rankings (Mar. 22, 2011)
1.Virginia
2.Tennessee
3.USC
4.Texas
5.Ohio State
6.TEXAS A&M
7.Pepperdine
8.Stanford
9.Duke
10.Illinois
Texas A&M in the 2011 Rankings
Jan. 4 10
Jan. 25 10
Feb. 3 10
Feb. 8 10
Feb. 14 10
Feb. 22 14
Mar. 1 18
Mar. 8 17
Mar. 15 7
Mar. 22 6
Texas A&M (15-4) Team Scores in 2011 (Current ranking for foes)
Jan. 22 Louisiana-Lafayette 7-0
Jan. 29 Mississippi State (#31) 4-3
Jan. 30 Miami (#29) 7-0
Feb. 4 vs. Texas% (#4) 3-4
Feb. 13 Troy 7-0
Feb. 13 St. Edward's 7-0
Feb. 19 vs. Illinois# (#10) 1-4
Feb. 20 at Washington# (#20) 2-4
Feb. 21 vs. Texas Tech (#17) 4-1
Feb. 23 at TCU (#72) 7-0
Feb. 27 LSU (#35) 6-1
Feb. 27 UTA 6-1
Mar. 4 at Notre Dame (#25) 5-2
Mar. 6 at Wisconsin 5-2
Mar. 10 Ohio State (#5) 4-0
Mar. 12 Illinois (#10) 7-0
Mar. 12 Laredo Community College 7-0
Mar. 16 at California (#12) 6-1
Mar. 19 at Pepperdine (#7) 3-4
Mar. 25 at Oklahoma State (Stillwater, OK)
Mar. 27 at Oklahoma (#30) (Norman, OK)
%Houston, TX
#ITA National Team Indoor Championships (Seattle, WA)