University of Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vols Ranked No. 22 in ITA Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll
January 05, 2022 | Women's Tennis
TEMPE, Ariz. – With the season opener for the Tennessee women's tennis team just over two weeks away, the Lady Vols were ranked No. 22 in the ITA Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced Wednesday morning.
The preseason ranking ties the highest to begin a season since Alison Ojeda assumed head coaching duties prior to the 2017 season.
"Being in the preseason top 25 is certainly a place that every team in the country wants to see themselves at," Ojeda said. "I am excited that, in a short few years, we have been able to open up in this poll."
The Lady Vols were ranked 22nd in the 2020 preseason poll, a year where UT started 10-3 before the season came to a halt due to the COVID-19 global health crisis.
"I am eager to get on court with our team to start competing," Ojeda continued. "After today, the next time we need to look at rankings is in late May. By the time those May rankings come out, our goal is for Tennessee to be at the top."
Tennessee's schedule features seven matchups with top 25 teams and the Lady Vols have a chance to test themselves in preseason play as UT travels to Chapel Hill to compete with No. 3 North Carolina and No. 7 Virginia in the Tar Heel Invitational Thursday, Jan. 6.
The Columbus Regional of ITA Kickoff Weekend features three teams in the top 25 and a fourth receiving votes. The host, Ohio State, is ranked No. 10. LSU is one slot ahead of the Lady Vols at No. 21, while the four-seed Oklahoma State is receiving votes.
Including Tennessee, six SEC teams are in the poll, the second-most of any conference. The Lady Vols will welcome eighth-ranked NC State to Rocky Top for the home opener on Feb. 4.
"The SEC is a tough conference, we have six teams currently in the top 25 and another four that certainly could have been in," Ojeda finished, when discussing the toughness of the Lady Vol schedule. "To prepare for such a high level of competition, we had to strengthen our non-conference schedule. We have worked hard to earn the respect of the best teams in the country, and it shows by being invited to compete against UNC and UVA this weekend in Chapel Hill. That is going to be a great baseline for us as we start the season."
The Lady Vols take the court for the first time since November at the Tar Heel Invitational, Friday, Jan. 7, at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. It is Tennessee's last individual competition before dual matches begin on Jan. 21 against Charlotte.
For all the latest information from Lady Vol Tennis, follow the team on Twitter @Vol_WTennis, Instagram @vol_wtennis or Facebook. The full 2022 schedule can be found at utsports.com/womens-tennis.
The preseason ranking ties the highest to begin a season since Alison Ojeda assumed head coaching duties prior to the 2017 season.
"Being in the preseason top 25 is certainly a place that every team in the country wants to see themselves at," Ojeda said. "I am excited that, in a short few years, we have been able to open up in this poll."
The Lady Vols were ranked 22nd in the 2020 preseason poll, a year where UT started 10-3 before the season came to a halt due to the COVID-19 global health crisis.
"I am eager to get on court with our team to start competing," Ojeda continued. "After today, the next time we need to look at rankings is in late May. By the time those May rankings come out, our goal is for Tennessee to be at the top."
Tennessee's schedule features seven matchups with top 25 teams and the Lady Vols have a chance to test themselves in preseason play as UT travels to Chapel Hill to compete with No. 3 North Carolina and No. 7 Virginia in the Tar Heel Invitational Thursday, Jan. 6.
The Columbus Regional of ITA Kickoff Weekend features three teams in the top 25 and a fourth receiving votes. The host, Ohio State, is ranked No. 10. LSU is one slot ahead of the Lady Vols at No. 21, while the four-seed Oklahoma State is receiving votes.
Including Tennessee, six SEC teams are in the poll, the second-most of any conference. The Lady Vols will welcome eighth-ranked NC State to Rocky Top for the home opener on Feb. 4.
"The SEC is a tough conference, we have six teams currently in the top 25 and another four that certainly could have been in," Ojeda finished, when discussing the toughness of the Lady Vol schedule. "To prepare for such a high level of competition, we had to strengthen our non-conference schedule. We have worked hard to earn the respect of the best teams in the country, and it shows by being invited to compete against UNC and UVA this weekend in Chapel Hill. That is going to be a great baseline for us as we start the season."
The Lady Vols take the court for the first time since November at the Tar Heel Invitational, Friday, Jan. 7, at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. It is Tennessee's last individual competition before dual matches begin on Jan. 21 against Charlotte.
For all the latest information from Lady Vol Tennis, follow the team on Twitter @Vol_WTennis, Instagram @vol_wtennis or Facebook. The full 2022 schedule can be found at utsports.com/womens-tennis.
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