ROCK HILL, S.C. --- The Tusculum College women's tennis team has been picked to finish second in the South Atlantic Conference according to the 2011 SAC Coaches' Poll announced league officials Friday.
Five Pioneers were named to the Preseason All-Conference Team, including First Team selection Courtney Conley and Second Team picks Katelyn Doss, Taylor Patterson, Blake Thompson and Megan Buckmaster. TC's five honorees were the most in the conference
Lincoln Memorial University is the favorite to win this year's title. Tusculum and LMU tied for the league crown last season. The Lady Railsplitters received seven first place votes and 96 total points. Tusculum was second with 78 points, while Wingate University was third with 76 points and a first place vote. League newcomer Anderson University is fourth in this year's poll with 75 points and a first place nod. Brevard College is fifth with 63 points, followed by Carson-Newman College (50) and Mars Hill College (46 - 1 first place vote), Catawba College (33), Lenoir-Rhyne University (21) and Newberry College (12).
Conley, a 5-3 sophomore from Bristol, Tenn., garnered All-SAC Second Team accolades following a solid rookie season as she stepped in and immediately shined at No. 2 singles. The Tennessee High School graduate went 12-5 in singles play, including 5-2 in SAC matches. She won 11 of her first 12 singles matches and finished her freshman season with a 13-3 doubles mark, including 6-1 in league action.
Doss, a 5-3 senior from Bristol, Va., is a three-time All-Conference selection, including last year as she went 11-9 in singles (3-5 SAC), including 10-8 at the top flight. The Virginia High School product posted a sterling 15-6 doubles worksheet, including 6-2 in SAC contests. Doss enters her final collegiate campaign with a 39-19 career singles record, including 15-7 in SAC play. She has also mustered a 40-23 doubles mark, including 18-5 in league matches.
Patterson, a 5-2 sophomore from Lexington, S.C., accounted for a 16-5 singles record, including 6-2 in league matches. The 2010 All-SAC Second Team honoree went 5-0 at No. 1 singles and 11-5 at the second flight. The Lexington High School product also went 14-3 in doubles play, including 6-1 in SAC play and 13-3 with Conley at No. 2 doubles.
Thompson, a 5-9 senior from Bristol, Tenn., enters her final Tusculum campaign with an impressive 46-8 career singles record, including 16-1 last season. The Tennessee High School graduate won her first 16 consecutive singles matches, including a perfect 7-0 SAC record to up her career league mark to 17-3. Thompson has also shined in the classroom, where she is a three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar Athlete.
Buckmaster rounds out the Tusculum honorees on the Preseason All-SAC squad. The 5-4 Bristol, Tenn. sophomore recorded a perfect 11-0 singles record (7-0 in SAC), while not dropping a set during her stellar rookie campaign.
The Tusculum women's program has accounted for 10 consecutive winning seasons, including the last nine under head coach Tommy Arnett. The Pioneers went 17-4 last season and went 2-0 during the fall campaign this year. TC will open the spring portion of its schedule on Feb. 12 as the Pioneers travel to Greenwood, S.C. to face Lander University.
- SAC -
2011 SAC Women's Tennis Poll
Rk. School (1st Place Votes) Pts.
1 Lincoln Memorial (7) 96
2 TUSCULUM 78
3 Wingate (1) 76
4 Anderson (1) 75
5 Brevard 63
6 Carson-Newman 50
7 Mars Hill (1) 46
8 Catawba 33
9 Lenoir-Rhyne 21
10 Newberry 12
2011 Preseason All-SAC Women's Tennis Team
First Team
Lindsay Hostetter, Brevard
Lindsay Shaeffer, Brevard
Taryn Cappadona, Carson-Newman
Leah Donoff, Lincoln Memorial
Sofia Lopez Mimendi, Lincoln Memorial
Erika Pinate, Mars Hill
Courtney Conley, Tusculum
Kara Stasikelis, Wingate
Second Team
Julie Halbert, Anderson
Claire Dillman, Brevard
Kasia Zielinski, Catawba
Megan Buckmaster, Tusculum
Katelyn Doss, Tusculum
Taylor Patterson, Tusculum
Blake Thompson, Tusculum
Samantha Alschlager, Wingate