Lopers Receiving Votes for the Top 25
Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney women’s tennis team is picked fifth in the 2023 MIAA preseason coaches’ poll.
The league’s nine head coaches vote on the makeup of the poll and cannot vote for their own team.
Washburn (six first place; 62 points) is the favorite with Central Oklahoma (three first place; 54 points) second and Northwest Missouri third (47). UNK tallied 39 points to trail Missouri Western (46) and be ahead of Northeastern State (30).
Last spring, the Lopers went 4-4 in MIAA duals to place fifth after the regular season and then lost their opening round MIAA Tournament match to Northwest. UCO (24-2, 8-0) won the MIAA regular season and tourney titles before finishing as Division II National Runners Up. The Bronchos, however, lost the majority of its lineup from that squad.
UNK went 6-0 in the fall and also competed in two open tournaments. Head coach Scott Shafer has a squad receiving votes for the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Top 25 poll with juniors Melisa Becerra (Colombia) and Jazmin Zamorano (Mexico) ranked eighth in the Central Regional in doubles with Zamorano (seventh), Becerra (12th) and sophomore Narindra Ranaivo (20th) all ranked in singles. In the Top 25 team poll, UCO is eighth and Washburn 15th.
The Lopers host Midwestern (Texas) State Friday at 4 p.m. in the Ernest Grundy Tennis Center to start the spring campaign. It’ll be UNK’s first dual in the new facility.
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