Thursday, January 25, 2007

Valparaiso University's men's tennis team has been selected to finish in a tie for second place in the Mid-Continent Conference according to the preseason poll of the league's head coaches.

Head coach Jim Daugherty's squad garnered 19 points, including one first place vote, to finish in a tie for second place with Oral Roberts. Last year's Mid-Con Tournament champion, Western Illinois, was picked to win the league this year with 23 points.

UMKC was picked fourth with 12 points, one more than IUPUI. Centenary was selected sixth.

First place votes earned five points in the poll on a scale that saw one point issued for a fifth place pick. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

The Crusaders will open up their 2007 regular season on Friday, February 2, in a 6 p.m. match at DePaul.

2007 Mid-Continent Conference Preseason Poll
Team -Points
1. Western Illinois (4) - 23
t-2. Valparaiso (1) - 19
t-2. Oral Roberts (1) - 19
4. UMKC - 12
5. IUPUI - 11
6. Centenary - 6
(First place votes in parentheses)