TEMPE, Ariz. – For the first time under head coach Jim Frederick, Carson-Newman men's tennis has been announced as one of the top 50 programs in all of Division II tennis Thursday. So far in 2022, the Eagles sit at 7-2 overall and remain unblemished in SAC competition with a mere 2-0 record.
Carson-Newman comes in at 23rd in the latest ITA poll. Meanwhile, C-N freshman Marnix Van Dalen (Netherlands) is also tabbed with honors as he is ranked 31st for all DII men's singles players.
"It gave me goosebumps to see the boys that high," graduate coach Gabriel Dabdab said. "After being here for so long, finally seeing the results of the program going in the right direction is crazy."
The Eagles have started strong in the spring as they have only dropped results to nationally-ranked and #13 North Georgia to start the spring and #14 Lee University prior to the start of SAC play. Since their last defeat, C-N has rallied off two straight in SAC play as they hold wins over Coker and Limestone.
In his debut season for the Eagles, Van Dalen has gone 13-5 overall and 5-3 in the spring as he has won five straight. Most notably, it was the freshman who clinched the team win for C-N over DIII powerhouse Sewanee in mid-February. Of his three spring losses, one has come to #3 Joaquin Benoit from North Georgia.
The freshman joins Queen's Win Steveker (#41) and Tusculum's Fransesco Bonacia (#43) as the other South Atlantic Conference men's singles players to be ranked in the top 75 for the March 10 poll.
Carson-Newman is one of six total teams representing the South Atlantic Conference in the Division II team rankings for the week of March 10. Wingate is 31st, Tusculum is 38th, Anderson is 39th, Lenoir-Rhyne is 45th, and Queens (N.C.) is 50th.
The Eagles will be in action against the Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs as they hit the road to Athens for first serve between the two programs on Friday, March 11.
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