TEMPE, Ariz. --- The Intercollegiate Tennis Association released its latest Oracle/Division II rankings, with Tusculum University represented in both the team and singles rankings.
The Pioneers are ranked 35th overall this week with a record of 8-2 and 3-0 in the South Atlantic Conference, including five consecutive victories. Ranked in singles are sophomore David Akinpetide at 33rd and junior Yago Fernandez in 70th.
Tusculum is joined in the national team rankings by fellow SAC members Wingate (5th), Queens (24th), Catawba (43rd) and Lenoir-Rhyne (48th). The Pioneers' two losses this season were to North Georgia, which is ranked seventh this week, and to 19th-ranked Indianapolis.
Akinpetide has played six singles matches this season and has a 3-3 record for the Pioneers. Two of his wins came over ranked opponents, including a 6-2, 0-6, 7-6 (8-6) win over third-ranked Renato Lima of Indianapolis and a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Ignacio Bidegain of Anderson. The native of Chelles, France is 2-2 against nationally-ranked opponents this season.
Fernandez has a 5-3 record in singles for the Pioneers, with his only ranked opponent being Indianapolis' Nils Hoffacker on Feb. 15. Fernandez has won five of his last six matches, all straight-set wins, and the Aviles, Spain product has a 25-18 career record in singles for the Pioneers.
Tusculum will square off with Newberry in a SAC matchup on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Nichols Tennis Complex.