Marist Men and Women Selected as Favorites Ahead of 2008 Tennis Season
MAAC Sports
Edison, NJ ? The Marist College men’s and women’s tennis teams were selected as the favorites in the MAAC in 2008, according to a vote by the league’s respective head coaches.
The Marist men, who lost in the 2008 MAAC Championship Match to Manhattan, topped the poll with 63 points. Ninth-year head coach Tim Smith will lead a young team that features only one senior, captain and 2007 All-MAAC selection Greg Marks. Marks went 25-15 in singles’ matches and 26-11 in doubles’ competition last season. Also returning is the 2007 Rookie of the Year Loic Sessagesimi and his doubles’ partner Christian Coley. The pair was selected to the All-MAAC First Team a year ago.
Niagara finished second in the poll with 54 points and Fairfield was third with 48. Manhattan totaled 34 points to finish fourth, followed by Siena (31), Loyola (24), Saint Peter’s (23), and Rider (11).
The Marist women received 63 points, one shy of the maximum, as they look to repeat as MAAC Champions. 2007 Coach of the Year Roge Nesbitt returns a strong team that includes Christine Ong, the 2007 Player of the Year, and Cassie Strange, the 2007 Rookie of the Year. Ong went 9-1 at No.1 singles, 2-1 at No. 2 singles, and 12-1 at No. 1 doubles last season. Strange was 15-4 at No. 2 singles and 20-3 in doubles’ competition. Also returning for the Red Foxes are All-MAAC selections Mirelva Colon, Erin Godly, and Alexa Strange.
Niagara was second in the women’s poll with 50 points, followed by Fairfield with 47. Loyola finished fourth with 39, while Siena was fifth with 37. Manhattan tallied 24 points to finish sixth and Saint Peter’s and Rider received 14 points each.
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Men’s Preseason Coaches Poll
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1.
Marist
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63
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2.
Niagara
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54
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3.
Fairfield
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48
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4.
Manhattan
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34
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5.
Siena
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31
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6.
Loyola
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24
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7.
Saint Peter’s
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23
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8.
Rider
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11
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Women’s Preseason Coaches Poll
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1.
Marist
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63
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2.
Niagara
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50
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3.
Fairfield
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47
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4.
Loyola
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39
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5.
Siena
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37
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6.
Manhattan
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24
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7.
Saint Peter’s
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14
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Rider
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14
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