TEMPE, Ariz. --- The Tusculum University men's tennis team has vaulted to 30th in the latest Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II National Team Rankings, through matches of March 31.
The Pioneers were not ranked last week, but soared into the poll after going 2-1 against ranked opponents last week. Tusculum upset 16th-ranked Queens 4-3 on the road on Wednesday and beat 34th-ranked Bluefield State 4-2 at home on Sunday, while dropping a tough 4-3 decision at 37th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne on Friday.
Tusculum is one of five teams from the South Atlantic Conference in the ITA Division II rankings this week, joined by Wingate in fifth, Queens at 19th, Lenoir-Rhyne at 33rd and Anderson in 47th. Bluefield State dropped to 39th following their non-conference loss to the Pioneers.
The Pioneers' only ranked player this week is sophomore David Akinpetide, who slipped from 36th to 44th in the singles rankings after winning one of three matches last week. Akinpetide entered the week with a 4-6 record in singles, which includes a 1-3 record against ranked opponents.
The Pioneers boosted their record to 11-4 overall and 5-2 in the SAC with a 6-1 win over Mars Hill on Wednesday. Tusculum will host Wingate on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Nichols Tennis Complex. The Bulldogs are two games ahead of the Pioneers atop the SAC standings with a 7-0 league record and a 12-2 overall mark.