ROCK HILL, S.C. --- The Tusculum University women's tennis team was picked second in the South Atlantic Conference in the annual preseason coaches poll, the SAC office announced Friday.

The Pioneers shared the SAC regular-season championship with Wingate in 2023 at 11-1 and were the SAC Tournament runner-up. Tusculum, which earned an NCAA Division II Tournament bid for the 12th time in program history, ended the year 17-7 overall and ranked 21st in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II poll.

Tusculum has four starters returning for first-year head coach Tim Dunford, and all four received preseason All-SAC honors. Junior Elodie Baechler and seniors Valentina Loretz and Paulina Loretz were second-team in singles, with sophomore Ylva Frafjord Landa a third-team selection in singles. In doubles, the duo of Baechler and Valentina Loretz were preseason first-team All-SAC.

Baechler finished 17-9 in singles last season, going 15-8 in dual matches and 7-4 in conference play across flights three through five. The La Rippe, Switzerland native went 6-2 during fall competition to boost her career record at Tusculum to 33-32 in singles.

Valentina Loretz led the Pioneers with 23 singles victories in 2023, including a 16-6 record in dual matches and a 9-3 mark in conference play. Loretz played most of her matches at flights five and six. This fall, the San Mateo Atenco, Mexico native posted a 5-2 record and holds a 49-20 career singles mark entering the spring.

Paulina Loretz went 19-11 in singles last season, with a 14-9 record in dual matches and a 9-2 record in conference play, mostly at flights three and four. The native of San Mateo Atenco, Mexico had a 3-2 record during the fall and has a 50-31 career record for the Pioneers in singles.

Landa posted a 16-11 overall record as a freshman for the Pioneers, including a 13-8 record in dual matches and an 8-2 record in conference play. The Sandnes, Norway native, who played mostly at flights five and six last season, went 8-1 in the fall for the Pioneers and carries a 24-12 career record into spring play.

The doubles tandem of Baechler and Valentina Loretz was second-team All-SAC last season after going 13-5 overall and a perfect 10-0 in conference play between flights two and three. The pair had an 8-2 record in fall competition for the Pioneers.

Wingate received 11 of 13 first-place votes to take the top spot in the SAC coaches poll with 142 points, with Tusculum second with 119 points and Newberry third with 106 points, including a first-place vote. Anderson, which had the other first, and Catawba tied for fourth with 104 points, followed by Limestone in sixth with 93 points.

Carson-Newman took seventh in the poll with 81 points, followed by Lenoir-Rhyne in eighth with 78 points and Lincoln Memorial ninth with 61 points. Coker is 10th with 50 points, with the poll rounded out by Mars Hill (38), UVA Wise (20) and Emory & Henry (18).

After going 2-0 during the fall, the Pioneers begin their spring schedule on Saturday, Feb. 3 against Georgia College in the PTR Collegiate Cup in Wesley Chapel, Florida.

2024 SAC Women's Tennis Preseason Poll

2024 SAC Women's Tennis Preseason All-Conference

First Team Doubles
Natasha Forrest/Summer Reeves, Carson-Newman
Chloe Kosmrlj/Suzuka Sambyakugari, Wingate
Elodie Baechler/Valentina Loretz, Tusculum 

Second Team Doubles
Sofia Hernandez / Ami Miya, Catawba
Runa Mudderisoglu/Alicia Wahlberg, Lenoir-Rhyne
Evgeniya Pugina/Nellie Wahlberg, Lenoir-Rhyne 

Third Team Doubles
Sophia Cardenas/Margarita Nikonorova, Newberry
Emma Arnal/Alexa Gamborino-Suarez, Newberry
Anamaria Kiszner-Luca/Monika Temkova, Limestone

First Team Singles
Fernanda Castillo, Wingate
Anita Chornei, Carson-Newman
Anamaria Kiszner-Luca, Limestone
Chloe Kosmrlj, Wingate
Evgeniya Pugina, Lenoir-Rhyne
Suzuka Sambyakugari, Wingate

Second Team Singles
Miya Ami, Catawba
Elodie Baechler, Tusculum
Sofia Cardenas, Newberry
Natasha Forrest, Carson-Newman
Valentina Loretz, Tusculum
Paulina Loretz, Tusculum 

Third Team Singles
Ylva Frafjord Landa, Tusculum
Elana Mackey, Mars Hill
Runa Muderrisoglu, Lenoir-Rhyne
Aina Miralles, Newberry
Margarita Nikonorova, Newberry
Alicia Wahlberg, Lenoir-Rhyne