Salisbury tennis teams garner national and regional rankings

SKILLMAN, N.J. - The Salisbury University men's and women's tennis programs will begin the season ranked nationally and in the region. The latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings have the Sea Gull men ranked No. 23 in Division III and No. 6 in the Atlantic South region. The women stand at No. 9 in the Atlantic South.

The SU men's team finished the '08 season ranked in the same positions nationally and in the region. The Sea Gulls posted a 17-5 overall record and went a perfect 6-0 in the Capital Athletic Conference during the regular-season and were conference runner-up to rival University of Mary Washington. Four Sea Gulls find themselves ranked in the region as well. In singles action, junior Scott Burtzlaff is ranked No. 25 and junior Evan Thomas received votes. In doubles, Burtzlaff/Thomas is ranked No. 7 while sophomore Andrew Nottage and freshman Daniel Barnas check in at No. 13.

The SU men's team will face seven teams ranked in the ITA Top 30 poll in the '09 season. The Sea Gulls will go up against No. 19 Washington & Lee on February 28 on the road. Salisbury will face three ranked teams in California during Spring Break when the maroon and gold face No. 11 Bowdoin, No. 27 Cal Lutheran and No. 30 Pomona-Pitzer. In April, the Sea Gulls will square off against No. 10 Mary Washington and No. 15 Johns Hopkins on April 4-5.

The SU women's team posted its best wins total in school history with a 16-5 mark last season and was second in the conference with a 5-1 record. Salisbury will face one nationally ranked team in '09 in No. 6 Mary Washington on April 11 at home.

Salisbury will open up its '09 men's and women's schedule at home on Friday, February 13, as it will host the Sea Gull Open Tournament at the Indoor Tennis Center.

The ITA, the governing body of collegiate tennis in the United States, is comprised of nearly 1,500 men's and women's coaches representing over 1,200 institutions across the country from all three NCAA Divisions, as well as the NAIA and Junior and Community Colleges. The ITA oversees activities involving over 15,000 Varsity College student-athletes. In addition to ITA collegiate coach (and team) members, the ITA also welcomes collegiate parents, junior players and parents, alumni, corporate, federation, high school coach, and associate membership. The ITA rankings were released after the completion of the fall season.