Tennis Picked First In SSAC Preseason Poll

The Brenau tennis team was picked first in the 2017 SSAC Women's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Poll, the league office announced Tuesday.

The Golden Tigers closed out the 2016 season with an 18-7 overall and 8-1 record in conference to earn a No. 5 national ranking. Despite having no seniors on the team, the squad is deep and experienced as All-Conference performers Maya Mammetgulyyeva, Rebecca Pijls and Patricia Recalde Pacua, as well as letter winners Kirsten Dickins and Paula Rives Palau, make up the core of the team.

In 2016, the SSAC produced five teams ranked in the NAIA top 20 as Auburn-Montgomery (3^rd), Middle Georgia (10^th), William Carey (12^th) and Mobile (16^th) joined the Golden Tigers in the national rankings.

"The preseason rating is usually a reflection of last year's results," said head coach Andre Ferreira. "Of course it feels great to be picked No. 1 in arguably the deepest conference in the NAIA. It's exciting and motivating. But, we are also realists in a sense that a lot changes from one season to another. We expect another year with several quality programs in the SSAC and, therefore, a lot of competitive matches. We will strive to improve our tennis game in order to compete with the best teams in the SSAC and NAIA."

Middle Georgia, William Carey (Miss.), Mobile (Ala.) and Dalton State (Ga.) round out the SSAC top five for 2017.

Brenau opens the season on January 29^th at NCAA Division I Furman (SC) University for a 4 pm match.

2017 SSAC Women's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Poll