WINTER PARK, Fla. – For the first time the Sunshine State Conference will crown a regular-season men’s tennis champion in 2014. The Barry Buccaneers, who are coming off their second NCAA Division II Championship in 2013, were picked to finish atop the standings in 2014.
In a poll conducted among the SSC head men’s tennis coaches, the Buccaneers tallied 35 points and received five of the seven first-place votes. Lynn was selected second with 31 points and received one first-place vote, and Rollins received the final first-place vote and 27 points for third.
Saint Leo was tabbed fourth with 21 points. Florida Southern took the fifth slot with 16 points. Florida Tech (11 points) and Eckerd (six points) rounded out the preseason poll.
The Buccaneers captured a second consecutive SSC Tournament Championship in 2013, for their fifth conference title in six years.
Barry returns four All-SSC players, including first-team singles and doubles selection Fabian Groetsch. Second-team singles selection Romain Costamagna returns for his senior season. Ollie Lemaitre, who was named second-team doubles, and All-SSC Honorable Mention Leo Vivas also return for their senior season.
Lynn returns two All-SSC selections in first-team singles and doubles player Vlad Circla, and second-team singles player Pavel Mojha.
Rollins returns four All-SSC Second Team selections, including SSC Freshman of the Year Robin Marchione. Singles player Malte Christesen and doubles tandem Will Kwok and Jason Alabaster also return for the Tars.
The men’s tennis season begins on Saturday, Feb. 1.
2014 Sunshine State Conference Preseason Men’s Tennis Poll
Rank – Team, Points (1st-place votes)
1 – Barry, 35 (5)
2 – Lynn, 31 (1)
3 – Rollins, 27 (1)
4 – Saint Leo, 21
5 – Florida Southern, 16
6 – Florida Tech, 11
7 – Eckerd, 6
Men's Tennis Picked to Win SSC Title
Posted On : January 16, 2014
