Feb. 9, 2007
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford men's and women's tennis team are predicted to win the OVC in a poll of the league's tennis coaches. The Bulldog men earned 58 points while the women took 76 points.
The Samford men finished third in the regular-season and were the runner-up at the 2006 O'Reilly Ohio Valley Conference Tennis tournament. The Bulldogs have finished second at the league's tournament two out of the last three years. Junior Renan Silveira and senior Stuart Misner return this year for Samford. Silveira was ranked second in the preseason's top 10 players by the league's head tennis coaches while Misner was seventh. The Bulldogs, who have already opened their non-conference portion of their schedule, begin league play on Feb. 13 when they welcome Jacksonville State.
The Samford women concluded the 2006 season in second place and went on to win its second OVC tournament title. After winning the OVC tourney, the Bulldogs saw their season come to an end with a loss to Florida in the NCAA first rounds. Juniors Anna Jackson and Katie McMiller as well as sophomore Whitnie Warren will be back on the court for Samford this season. Jackson was ranked second on the coach's preseason top 10 players while McMiller came in fourth and Warren was tied for ninth. The Bulldog women kick off their 2007 season as they join the men in hosting Jacksonville State on Feb. 13.
The Tennessee Tech men received 54 points for a predicted second place finish while Jacksonville State followed in a close third with 53 points. Eastern Kentucky and Murray State complete the top five with 44 and 37 points, respectively. Rounding out the men's poll are Morehead State (34), UT Martin (33), Austin Peay (19), Eastern Illinois (19) and Tennessee State (9). On the women's side, Murray State grabbed second place with 68 points followed by UT Martin with 65 points. Tennessee Tech earned 63 points for a fourth-place predicted finish while Jacksonville State received 51 points to place fifth. Rounding out the women's poll are Eastern Kentucky (46), Southeast Missouri (38), Eastern Illinois (34), Morehead State (26), Austin Peay (18) and Tennessee State (11).
