Randolph-Macon Joins W&L with 100-plus Points

FOREST, Va. --- Fourteen-time defending champion Washington and Lee University stands atop the ODAC Women's Tennis Preseason Poll, conducted annually by the league's head coaches. The Generals earned 121 points with a full allotment of 10 first place votes. Randolph-Macon College picked up the remaining top nod and joined W&L above the century mark with 109 points. Roanoke College rounds out the top three with 96 points.

The Generals, which finished the 2016 season ranked 16th in the country and sixth in the Atlantic South Region by the ITA, claimed its 26th overall ODAC title with an unblemished run thru the bracket via three consecutive 5-0 wins over Shenandoah University, Emory & Henry College, and Randolph-Macon College.

Success continued on the national stage for Washington and Lee, with the Generals selected to host early round action of the NCAA Division III Tournament. After receiving a first round bye, W&L defeated Westminster College (Pa.), 5-0, in round two. Emory University, the country's top-ranked team and eventual national champion, turned the tables on W&L in the third round, picking up a 5-0 victory.

In the national singles and doubles tournament, the Generals' Brooke Donnelly secured ITA All-America honors with a first round win over Wisconsin-Whitewater's Megan Humphreys (6-0, 7-6(1)). She and doubles partner Tessa Hill were elminated in the first round by the Tufts University tandem of Mina Marameran and Lauren Louks (6-4, 6-1).

Donnelly added an extra distinction to her resume, earning the NCAA Elite 90 Award for Division III women's tennis as the player at the championship site with the highest cumulative grade point average. Donnelly previously won the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award during the leagues all-conference process.

Entering the 2017 spring season, the ODAC has a representives in the ITA's team and singles ranking following various tournaments this past fall. Washington and Lee is currently slotted 16th in the country and sixth in the Atlantic South Region, with Randolph-Macon chiming in 17th on the latter table. Donnelly is the eighth-rated singles player in the D-III ranks and third in the region behind a win in the ITA Southeast Regional Championships and a seventh place showing in the ITA Oracle Cup. First-year teammate Hannah Archer is 21st in the Atlantic South power by a round of 16 berth at the ITA regional.

When it comes to returning ODAC award winners, conference rosters are dotted with players that corralled 27 of the 31 All-ODAC selections in 2016. That includes the return of players that garnered 14-of-16 All-ODAC First Team honors. Washington and Lee accounts for 11 of those accolades, with Donnelly (#1), Hill (#2), Mary Hampton McNeal (#3), Melinda Kauffman (#4) and DeeDee Aeschliman (#6) returning from the singles ranks. Donnelly and Hill earned first team #1 doubles laurels last season, along with Michelle Fleenor and Rachel Hicks at #2 doubles and Aeschliman and Kauffman at #3 doubles.

The remaing first team choices don Randolph-Macon and Roanoke College colors. Caitlin Delmas gives the Yellow Jackets plenty of punch at the top of their singles rotation after picking up first team honors at #2 singles. Emily Henderson returns one-half of Roanoke's #1 doubles team from a season, with Henderson adding an All-ODAC Second Team nod at #1 singles.

The 2017 spring season begins with non-conference play on the weekend of Saturday, February 4.  The first set of ODAC contests are slated for Saturday, February 18.

Listed below is the complete 2017 ODAC Women's Tennis Preseason Poll as well as preview capsules for each of the ODAC women's tennis programs.  For more information on ODAC women's tennis, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, 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 and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and odacathletics on Instagram.

2017 Poll Position: 4th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 5-12/4-6 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #6 Seed/Eliminated in quarterfinals Head Coach: Jordon Robinson Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: Whitney Cash (#5S/#1D), Stephanie Barton (#1D) Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Whitney Cash -- 8-8 (5-0 at #5) Shannon Quinn -- 6-9 (3-1 at #3) Holly Knupp -- 5-4 (3-2 at #3) Ashley Price -- 5-10 (5-8 at #2) Stephanie Barton -- 1-16 (1-14 at #1) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Stephanie Barton/Whitney Cash -- 8-7 (8-7 at #1) Ashley Price/Shannon Quinn -- 8-7 (8-7 at #2) Holly Knupp (w/ Haley Lloyd) -- 3-2 (3-2 at #3)		2017 Poll Position: 2nd 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 17-2/9-1 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #2 Seed/Runner-up Head Coach: Charles Gray Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Caitlin Delmas (#2S), Toni McDonald (#5S)   Second Team: Kelsie Grice (#1S/#2D), Melissa Tomlin (#3S/#3D), Gaby Tersigni (#4S/#2D), Molly Jesseman (#3D) Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Toni McDonald -- 17-2 (14-2 at #5) Gaby Tersigni -- 15-1 (13-1 at #4) Melissa Tomlin -- 13-2 (11-2 at #3) Molly Jesseman -- 13-2 (11-2 at #6) Caitlin Delmas -- 12-3 (11-2 at #2) Kelsie Grice -- 12-3 (10-3 at #1) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Kelsie Grice/Gaby Tersigni -- 15-3 (15-3 at #2) Molly Jesseman/Melissa Tomlin -- 14-2 (14-2 at #3) Caitlin Delmas (w/ Sid Corrigan) -- 11-6 (11-6 at #1)
2017 Poll Position: 6th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 11-7/6-4 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #5 Seed/Eliminated in semifinals Head Coach: Steve Brooks Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: Kaitlin Meade (#6S), Savanna Summers (#1D) Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Kaitlin Meade -- 11-3 (6-0 at #6) Savanna Summers -- 9-8 (7-7 at #3) Lauren Riner -- 5-11 (3-11 at #2) Kaitlyn Sheaves -- 5-11 (3-5 at #4) Kala Curtis -- 3-4 (3-2 at #6) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Savanna Summers (w/ Sveva Mazzari) -- 12-3 (12-3 at #1) Lauren Riner/Kaitlyn Sheaves -- 6-8 (6-8 at #2) Ana-Belen Gomez/Kaitlin Meade -- 5-3 (5-3 at #3)		2017 Poll Position: 3rd 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 12-11/8-2 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #3 Seed/Eliminated in semifinals Head Coach: Daniel Ragsdale Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Emily Henderson (#1D)   Second Team: Emily Henderson (#1S) Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Catherine Lee -- 9-10 (7-4 at #3) Emily Henderson -- 8-11 (8-10 at #1) Lydia Dey -- 8-8 (5-6 at #6) Emma Barker -- 6-5 (4-4 at #4) Tracy Kile -- 4-1 (2-1 at #6) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Catherine Lee (w/ Reed Kegel) -- 8-3 (5-1 at #3) Emily Henderson (w/ Briell Smith) -- 8-5 (8-5 at #1) Emma Barker (w/ Kristen McDowell) -- 8-6 (7-4 at #2)
2017 Poll Position: 10th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 6-9/4-6 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #7 Seed/Eliminated in quarterfinals Head Coach: Dave McCain Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Leigh Fishman -- 4-13 (4-8 at #5) Katie Claggett -- 3-11 (3-11 at #1) Chandler Mac Donald -- 1-2 (done at indy tournament) Nora Prokosch -- 1-13 (1-13 at #2) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Katie Claggett (w/ Riley Caruana) -- 6-9 (6-9 at #1) Leigh Fishman (w/ Fernanda Gonzalez) -- 5-9 (5-9 at #2) Chandler MacDonald/Nora Prokosch -- 3-6 (3-6 at #3)		2017 Poll Position: 7th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 9-7/4-6 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #8 Seed/Elminated in quarterfinals Head Coach: Larry Hubbard Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Melodi Madison -- 7-7 (4-4 at #5) Denise Vollmer -- 4-6 (3-3 at #6) Audrea Wright -- 1-3 (1-0 at #6) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Denise Vollmer (w/ Kelsey Nicely) -- 6-3 (6-2 at #3) Melodie Madison (w/ Amy Rapp) -- 3-6 (3-6 at #2) Melodie Madison (w/ Kelsey Nicely) -- 1-1 (1-1 at #3)
2017 Poll Position: 11th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 2-13/0-10 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not qualify Head Coach: Brian Kastner Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Htet Myat San -- 6-2 (5-2 at #5) Amelia Verkerk -- 6-9 (6-8 at #3) Jhovanna Salmeron -- 3-12 (3-11 at #2) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Htet Myat San/Jhovanna Salmeron -- 5-5 (5-5 at #2) Amelia Verkerk (w/ Gaelin McLeod) -- 2-6 (2-6 at #1) Amelia Verkerk (w/Neha Batool) -- 1-4 (1-1 at #3)		2017 Poll Position: 12th 2016 Records - Overall: 8-9 Head Coach: Teresa Boylan Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) AJ Lukanuski -- 9-7 (7-6 at #1) Gina Rutledge -- 8-8 (7-5 at #2) Samantha Yew -- 7-10 (5-7 at #4) Des'rae Davis -- 4-1 (3-0 at #6) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Samantha Yew (w/ Anna Colvin) -- 10-6 (9-6 at #2) AJ Lukanuski/Gina Rutledge -- 8-7 (8-7 at #1) Des'rae Davis/Alicia Wooten -- 1-2 (1-2 at #3)
2017 Poll Position: 5th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 12-9/6-4 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #4 Seed/Eliminated in quarterfinals Head Coach: Christopher Clarke Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Lilli Altenburg -- 14-6 (8-2 at #4) Kelsey Dowling -- 10-9 (6-4 at #4) Sarah Wyly -- 8-7 (6-7 at #3) Valeria Erostegui -- 4-14 (2-6 at #2) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Kelsey Dowling (w/ Erika Hadland) -- 9-4 (9-3 at #2) Valeria Erostegui (w/ Jerica Simmons) -- 6-7 (2-1 at #3) Lilli Altenburg/Sarah Wyly -- 5-4 (5-2 at #3)		2017 Poll Position: 9th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 4-9/3-7 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not qualify Head Coach: Marty Perry Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Jackie Lee -- 5-6 (5-5 at #2) Katie Staman -- 4-6 (4-5 at #3) Abby Horgan -- 1-4 (1-1 at #6) Jacklyn Cheely -- 1-6 (1-3 at #5) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Jackie Lee/Katie Staman -- 3-5 (2-5 at #1) Jackie Lee (w/ Mia Proctor) -- 1-2 (1-2 at #1) Katie Staman (w/ Kellen Phillips) -- 1-2 (1-2 at #2)
2017 Poll Position: 8th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 9-9/1-9 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not qualify Head Coach: Jamie Megginson Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Jenna Sweet -- 13-4 (10-4 at #2) Samantha Dickerson -- 10-5 (6-4 at #4) Shelby Lutz -- 3-9 (3-9 at #6) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Jenna Sweet (w/ Dina Velazco) -- 13-4 (13-4 at #1) Samantha Dickerson (w/ Alex Wieczorek) -- 5-1 (5-1 at #3) Samantha Dickerson (w/ Emmalyn Snead) -- 3-6 (3-6 at #2)		2017 Poll Position: 1st 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 19-6/10-0 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #1 Seed/ODAC Champion Head Coach: Erin Ness Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Brooke Donnelly (#1S/#1D-SAOY), Tessa Hill (#2S/#1D-ROY), Mary Hampton McNeal (#3S), Melinda Kauffman (#4S/#3D), DeeDee Aeschliman (#6S/#3D), Michelle Fleenor (#2D), Rachel Hicks (#2D)   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Brooke Donnelly -- 23-3 (15-1 at #1) Tessa Hill -- 20-6 (14-4 at #2) Michelle Fleenor -- 18-4 (12-2 at #3) Mary Hampton McNeal -- 17-6 (11-3 at #4) Melinda Kauffman -- 15-10 (7-7 at #5) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Brooke Donnely/Tessa Hill -- 23-7 (18-4 at #1) Michelle Fleenor/Rachel Hicks -- 12-5 (12-5 at #2) Emily Kochard/Mary Hampton McNeal -- 10-6 (8-6 at #3)