Marist Men, Fairfield Women Picked to Win Tennis Titles
MAAC Sports
Edison, NJ -
The Marist College men's tennis team and the Fairfield University women's team
were selected as favorites to win the MAAC Championship in 2011, according to a
vote by the league's respective head coaches.
The Marist men, who have won three consecutive MAAC titles, topped the poll
with 48 points. The Red Foxes, led by 12th-year head coach Tim Smith, return
All-MAAC First Team performers Nicolas Pisecky, Matt Himmelsbach, Landon
Greene, and Marcus von Nordheim. Also returning is Joris Van Eck, who teamed
with Greene to win at first doubles in last season's MAAC Championship Match.
Fairfield finished second in the poll with 43 points and Saint Peter's was
third with 31. Niagara tallied 29 points to finish fourth, followed by Loyola
(22), Siena (16), and Rider (7).
The Fairfield women, winners of two straight MAAC Championships, received 49
points in the poll. Head Coach Ed Paige, a two-time MAAC Men's and Women's
Tennis Coach of the Year, led the Stags to a 7-0 conference mark last season and
a victory over Marist in the title match. He returns All-MAAC selections
Kristen Liu and Alyssa Ruiz.
Marist was second in the women's poll with 41 points, followed by Loyola with
35. Siena finished fourth with 37, while Manhattan was fifth with 20. Saint
Peter's (18) and Rider (7) rounded out the poll.
The 2011 MAAC Men's and Women's Tennis Championships
will take place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in
Flushing, New York from April 20-21.
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Men's Preseason Coaches Poll
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1. Marist
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48
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2. Fairfield
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43
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3. Saint Peter's
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31
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4. Niagara
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29
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5. Loyola
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22
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6. Siena
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16
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7. Rider
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7
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Women's Preseason Coaches Poll
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1. Fairfield
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49
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2. Marist
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41
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3. Loyola
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35
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4. Siena
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26
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5. Manhattan
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20
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6. Saint Peter's
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18
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7. Rider
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7
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