Generals Garner 11 First Place Votes, E&H with One

FOREST, Va. --- Washington and Lee University commands the top of the 2015 ODAC Women's Tennis Poll, collecting all but one first place vote on the way to 121 points to lead the annual survey of the league's head coaches.  Roanoke College sits second with 108 points, while Randolph-Macon College and Bridgewater College are tight for third with 94 and 90 tallies, respectively.  Emory & Henry College received the remaining first place vote while holding down the fifth spot with 75 points.

The Generals marched thru the ODAC regular season and continued that momentum at each stage of the conference tournament, capturing their 12th straight ODAC title.  Washington and Lee has now won 24 of the 31 women's tennis championships in league history.  The crown also afforded the Generals the ODAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Team Tournament.  W&L earned a first round bye and then promptly took care of Sewanee, 5-0, in the second round.  The then 19th-ranked Generals ran up against regional host Emory University, falling to the top-rated Eagles, 5-0.

Top singles player Sonja Meighan and her doubles partner Patricia Kirkland extended W&L's representation on the national stage at the NCAA Division III Individual Tournament.  Meighan and Kirkland exited the doubles draw earlier than expected, falling to a pair from Chapman University, 6-4, 6-3, in the round of 16.  Meighan continued on in the singles bracket.  She trounced competitors from Oberlin College (7-6, 7-6) and Brandeis University (6-1, 6-0) to move into the quarterfinal round.  Next up was Kathleen Elkins from Williams College, who defeated Meighan, 6-1, 7-5.

Results from action earlier this fall have several players positioned well for the start of the spring campaign.  Washington and Lee enters as the 20th-ranked squad nationally and fourth in the Atlantic South Region by the ITA.  Roanoke sits 17th in the regional poll.

Five individual players and three doubles teams also appear in region tables.  W&L's Brooke Donnelly is the ODAC's highest-rated individual heading into the spring.  She sits 12th, five spots ahead of teammate Meghan Buell.  Sweet Briar College standout Caitlin Delmas is 23rd.  Emory & Henry duo Stella Di Michele and Chiara Mossi are ranked 24th and 27th, respectively.  Kirkland and Meighan are slotted first in the region's doubles rankings after placing second at the ITA Small College Championships in October.  Teammates Meghan Buell and Brooke Donnelly hold down the third position, while fellow Generals Michelle Fleener and Allison Hupalo are 15th.

Courts across the league will be stocked with returning all-conference talent.  Six individuals and five members of double squads from the All-ODAC First Team are set to make their return, while the All-ODAC Second Team sees six more individuals and three full doubles teams back in action.

Washington and Lee (18-3 overall, 11-0 in ODAC play) accounts for four first team individuals.  Meighan (11-2 at #1S), the reigning three-time ODAC Player of the Year, spearheads ODAC Coach of the Year Erin Ness' roster.  Buell (9-4 overall, 6-4 at #2) and Donnelly (11-2, 5-0 at #3S) earned their first team accolades from the second and third flights, respectively, while Mary Shutley (11-1, 3-0 at #5S) was the #5 singles first teamer.  Kirkland and Meighan (9-3 at #1D) were the first team choice at #1 doubles, while Buell (13-3 with Chelsea Mixson) and Donnelly (12-2 with Claire Cahill) formed one-half of the #2 and #3 doubles teams, respectively.  Hupalo was a combined 6-0 at four different singles ladder positions.

Roanoke (16-3, 10-1) has three singles players and one full doubles squad from the second team back in Salem.  Emily Henderson (12-3, 10-2 at #3S) was the choice at #3 singles, while Reed Kegel (10-4, 7-4 at #4S) and Haley Goodes (10-2, 7-1 at #6S) earned honors from #4 and #6 singles.  Henderson and Kegel (12-4, 10-3 at #2D) also formed the second team #2 doubles tandem.  Briell Smith (7-6 at #2) adds yet another solid option in the singles ranks and spent all her doubles time at the #1 flight (7-6 with Jennifer Antoszyk) last season.

Randolph-Macon (15-6, 9-2) is powered by three second team returners to Ashland.  Kelsie Grice (15-4, 12-2 at #2S) picked up the #2 singles nod after a solid first season.  She's joined by classmate Melissa Tomlin (13-3, 8-1 at #5S), who was tabbed at #5 singles.  Tomlin and fellow second-year competitor Molly Jesseman (6-4 in singles) were the second team choice at #3 doubles (10-5).  Angelina Sportelli (5-7 at #1S) was the Yellow Jackets competitor at #1 singles last year, and she'll looked to be teamed with #1 doubles partner Toni McDonald yet again after posting a 12-7 record together.

Bridgewater (12-5, 8-3) welcomes Jordon Robinson to the ODAC as he is one of two new head coaches at a conference school in 2014-15.  Maria Hawkins will be the on-court leader of his squad as she returns after securing a pair of first team honorees.  She earned her spots at #2 singles (15-1 at #2S) and #1 doubles (13-4 with Katie Gordon).  Marla O'Bryan (8-2, 6-0 at #3S), Holly Knupp (6-1 at #5S) and Whitney Cash (7-3, 4-2 at #6S) are also back.

Emory & Henry (10-10, 4-7) is led by second-year star Di Michele (16-1 at #1S), who earned ODAC Rookie of the Year honors and was tabbed to the first team at #1 singles.  She and classmate Lauren Riner (7-9, 3-1 at #5S) were a second team choice at #1 doubles (6-2).  Newcomers Mossi and Sophia Alonge, as well as second-semester transfer Sveva Mazzari, have the Wasps poised for a strong run this spring.

Randolph College (12-6, 7-4) has several strong players returning, including Dina Velazco (9-2 at #3S), who was a combined 11-3 in singles action last season.  Here doubles partner, Jenna Sweet (10-2, 5-2 at #5S) is also back after the duo went 10-6 from the second flight in 2014.  Randolph will also look to Sarah Parker (11-3, 4-2 at #5S) and Heather Parra (8-5, 6-3 at #4S).

Shenandoah University (11-6, 5-5) features #1 singles player Molly Barb (9-4 at #1S), who was also the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete last year.  Shannon Allin (5-8 at #2S) and Amy Rapp (9-6, 6-5 at #3S) join Barb as the squads top three singles players from a season ago.  Guilford College (6-11, 4-7) will be led by Haley Andrews (1-9 at #1S) and Allison Hewitt (4-11, 2-7 at #2S).  The Quakers will also look for the continued development of Nora Prokosch (4-10, 3-5 at #4S) and Mara Stern (3-6, 3-3 at #5S).

Sweet Briar (5-12, 3-8) has Delmas (13-1 at #1S) back in tow after earning a spot on the second team at #1 singles.  She and Gina Rutledge (6-11, 3-5 at #3S) will be charged with leading a roster that features five first-year athletes.  Virginia Wesleyan College (4-15, 2-9) has four key players returning, led by top singles player Mia Proctor (4-15 at #1S). Marisa Cifuentes (9-6, 8-4 at #3S), Lisa Nguyen (3-15, 2-8 at #4S) and Sydney Charity (3-15, 2-7 at #5S) are also back in 2015.

Lynchburg College (3-10, 2-9) will be under the guidance of Josef Manilla as he opens his collegiate head coaching portfolio.  He'll look to Melissa Drinkard (2-9 at #1D), who was the Hornets top singles player last season.  Hollins University (0-13, 0-11) will be led by top singles player Victoria Coffee (7-6 at #1S) and doubles partner Tiffany Hodges (4-8 at #1D).

Listed below is the full 2015 ODAC Women's Tennis Preseason Poll.  For more information on ODAC women's tennis, visit any of the participating school's websites, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook.  You can also follow the ODAC on Twitter @odacathletics.

2015 ODAC WOMEN'S TENNIS PRESEASON POLL
(#) Denotes First Place Votes