Power Rankings - April 13

1. Middlebury - We haven't seen a team this dominant since Santa Cruz in 2007. They have the best 3 and 4 in the country, probably a top 5 #1 doubles team and a top 5 #1 and #2 singles player. They are just really good everywhere and has showed in their results so far this season. I don't see any team winning more than 3 singles matches against these guys unless they have an incredible day. If you are going to beat Midd, it has to be in doubles. Their 2 and 3 doubles teams are good, but I don't consider them untouchable. With the 7-point system, I think Midd is a lock for a national title, but that's the beauty of the 9-point system. Middlebury should focus on an undefeated regular season and winning their conference tournament because they definitely have some stiff competition still to face in the NESCAC. As of right now, no team has shown that they can challenge the Panthers and until this happens, Midd is my favorite to win a national title this year.

2. CMS - Looking back, their loss against Amherst really puzzles me. I'm not exactly sure what happened to the Stags in that match, but besides that one blemish on their record, they've been playing good tennis, even in a 7-2 loss to Midd. I consider the Stags the 2nd best team in the country right now and they are probably also the deepest team in the country. The main problem I see is that despite having 2 very good players at the top of the lineup, I don't know if their guys can win against the likes of Emory and CLU. Their doubles is also quite streaky and with that 2-1 edge, they are very tough to beat because of their depth. The bottom of their lineup hasn't been rock solid, but rather it's their middle that has been carrying them. They have a tough task this weekend defeating CLU for the 2nd week in a row. That win would certainly pay off though and they would avoid Cruz in the semis of regionals and they would also host the regional at their great facility. I don't think they can beat Midd unless they have a great day, but the Stags are my favorite for national runner-up at the moment.

3. Cal Lutheran -I love it that a team predicted to finish 20th in the country can move up as high as 4th in the country. This team got a few big early season wins and they began to believe in themselves. After that started, the wins just kept coming and didn't stop until they finally lost to CMS. Along with Emory, they have the best top 2 in the country and they also have by far the best doubles team in the country. When they play other teams in the top 8, they need those 3 points every match and I feel like that's where they may fall just short. The teams that they would see in the Final 8 (and even in their regional) are very deep and can probably beat them at the bottom of the lineup as CMS just did. There's an awful lot of pressure of Giuffrida and Ballou to perform every time they step on the court and I think this wears on you. If they beat CMS in the conference final this weekend, it is possible they will have NCAAs at home. If not, they will have quite a task beating Cruz and CMS back to back days to make it to the Final 8. This team can win a national title, but all of the pieces need to fall into place perfectly.

4. Wash U - Wash U hasn't played that difficult of a schedule this year and that's why I'm not sure about this team once they get to the Final 8. They haven't been in many close matches. These guys were my preseason pick to win nationals but they haven't turned out to be quite a dominant as I expected. Watts has lost 2 D3 matches this year which is a shock and their doubles has been up and down as shown by their performance at Indoors. They will be tested twice next weekend at the conference tournament so this will help them a lot, win or lose. They've put themselves in position to make the Final 4 but if you look at Midd, CMS and Emory, Wash U would be the most likely candidate to be upset in the quarters. They have yet to prove that they are rock solid at every spot. That being said, I think this team is as good as anyone and if Watts can get 2 points for his team in big matches, they may see Midd in the NCAA finals.

5. Emory - Emory has had a good season and put itself in position to make their 9th consecutive Final 4 appearance. I think they are the one team that can potentially scare Middlebury because of their firepower at the top combined with their depth, but I'm still not sold on Emory's doubles. I think this is what will make the difference for them. If they get up 2-1 in doubles, I don't know if they can be beaten. It seems to me the only team who would be able to hang at the top 2 spots against the Eagles is Cal Lutheran, they are just that dominant. Emory is basically up 2-0 before the match starts and they have a lot of talent after that, it's just a matter of them getting those 3 other wins. They have locked up a #1 seed and right now they should set their sights on taking back the UAA championship. Emory always plays their best tennis at the end of the season and that's why I like this team going forward.

6. Santa Cruz - I think that even the Slugs knew they were playing over their heads at Indoors. They had wins over 3 great teams and then they went home to California where they should be at their best. They were dominated twice and also beaten by CLU. The Indoors champions now find themselves at #6 in the country and the probable 3rd seed in their region for NCAAs. Their doubles that looked untouchable at Indoors faltered against CLU and I think this really shook their confidence. We've seen the potential of this team and it's about putting it together for 2 consecutive days during regionals. They most likely will have to get through CLU and then CMS and they won't be playing at home. That's a tall order, but if any coach will prepare his players for it, it's Bob Hansen. No one has really been paying attention to Cruz or giving them much respect lately, but remember they were #1 in the country a month ago.

7. Carnegie Mellon - After Middlebury, I don't know if anyone is playing as well as CMU right now. In their last few matches, they've beaten 4 top 15 teams. Finally we are seeing consistency, something that has been lacking the past few years. We know they are loaded with talent and it's finally showing. I don't think they've ever been ranked this high and the thing that's making the difference is that they are getting contributions from everywhere. Just when we thought their doubles was weak, they sweep Hopkins and Kalamazoo. When they lose in doubles, they win 4 singles against Mary Wash and Kenyon. They have conference on their home court next weekend where they have beaten Amherst and Hopkins this year. Right now they look like a Final 4 team but we will see if they can keep it going. They will be a 1 seed in their region and I think Mary Wash or Salisbury is the most likely 2 seed in their region.

8. Amherst - I wouldn't be impressed by this team, but the fact that they beat CMS in Claremont makes a believer out of me. The 3 other top 10 teams who have played the Stags at Biszantz have scored 2, 1 and 3 points in that order. Herst's fall losses are now well in their past, but they are still reflected in their ranking. The loss of Jung hurts this team and they aren't as good now, but they are still very deep and can knock off any team in the country on the right day. I said at the beginning of the season I thought the Jeffs were the most complete team in the country. I think their doubles is a potential question mark after being swept by Cal Lu. For me, the potential for a national title is there, but it's only come out one time this season. They still have matches against Williams, Midd and Trinity (CT) before their conference tournament and I would not be surprised if this team makes another unexpected NCAA run.

9. Kenyon - With a great group of seniors, I had high expectations for the Lords and I know they had high expectations for themselves entering this season. While they have played quite well, they haven't done what they needed to do. They fell just short against Wash U and Emory twice and recently they had a surprising loss to CMU. The ability for a Final 4 showing is clearly there shown by their close results with top teams as well as their pounding of Hopkins. They will have good practice for NCAAs playing against Denison in their conference and I would suspect they could see Kalamazoo as their #2 seed at NCAAs. I think the Lords will repeat their performance of the last two years, but as of now I don't see them going any further than that. As far as who's winning, it's really been up and down. Greenberg got two points on Sunday and they still lost. I was really big on their 2 doubles team, but they haven't been coming through of late either. Kenyon has another month to get it together and they are obviously dangerous at NCAAs.

10. Johns Hopkins - Despite their loss to Wash U at Indoors, I was still high on Hopkins after that tournament. I thought they definitely had top 5 potential. In the pre-season and early part of the season, I constantly praised Hopkins depth and referred to their 3 through 5 singles as arguably the best in the country. This has proved to be far from true and that's what is killing this team. They aren't winning that middle and bottom of the lineup where they are supposed to be so strong. Now it's possible that they just had a bad weekend and will regroup, but those are two wins they needed to convince me that they are a contender. They are still in line for a top seed at NCAAs so that is good for them and I feel as though they will most likely be grouped with NCW, which is a team they beat 8-1. Hopkins needs to rethink doubles and win at the bottom of the lineup if they want to make an impact in the Final 8.

11. NC Wesleyan - I was unsure what to expect of this team pre-season but I think they have performed quite well. They got the win that really made them believe against Williams, but faltered against Hopkins. They still don't play that strong of a schedule so I don't see them moving above 11 for the rest of the year. This could potentially be bad because they will now be a 2 seed in their region. I think a region with them and Hopkins is quite likely, but they could also see Emory due to geographic proximity. Newport is no pushover, so the Bishops need to play good tennis in the conference final. They seemed to improve as last season progressed and I would assume the same is happening this season. They can't afford to get down to Hopkins in doubles again or their season will end in the Sweet 16. This is definitely a program on the rise and one to watch in the coming years.

12. Williams - The Ephs didn't get the start they were looking for with a surprising loss against NC Wesleyan, but the fact that they are traditionally good is keeping them in the top 12 for the time being. They got a much needed win over a tough Vassar team but they still have to play the top 4 NESCAC teams. I think they must go 2-2 in this stretch to make the tournament. Unless they happen to beat Amherst or Midd, they will be a 2 seed in their region and from the looks of it, Amherst may be their #1 seed. This is a good team, but they continue to struggle in doubles. They can play with anyone all the way through the singles lineup, but they were swept in doubles by the 2 top 15 teams that they have faced. I'm still a believer in Williams, but they need to fix their doubles immediately. One big win can turn around their season and with the tradition this program carries, I won't be surprised if they get it.

13. Trinity (TX) - They probably won't find themselves this high in the ITA rankings, but this is a really good team. They have some of the best doubles in the country and are as strong at the top 3 spots as other teams in this range. Bad scheduling did in their Pool C chances with a loss to Redlands, but they are still in good position to win their conference and make the tournament. If they can avoid the West region, I think this team could end up in the Final 8. I think a region with them and Hopkins or Kenyon could prove to be very interesting. The team they have to worry about right now is DePauw and I think it's all about doubles for them in that match. They get up in doubles and I think they will be just fine. The Tigers are still in a good spot and they are on a mission to take back the SCAC title.

14. Bowdoin - The Polar Bears did what they needed to do in the early part of their season and got key out of conference victories against Salisbury and Redlands, as well as a much needed win against Trinity (CT) in what is arguably the biggest match of their season. The impressive thing is that they did all of this without their most valuable player. If Pena is back before the end of the year, this could be a top 10 team. They still have a shot at Williams this season which will be a big match for them and if they don't win it, a win against Trinity (CT) in the first round of the conference tourney will get them in the tournament barring Chicago does nothing spectacular. Bowdoin has impressed me and they are in a good spot right now because they really need to play their way out of the NCAA tourney, rather than into it.

15. Chicago - It's a shame, but one loss could keep them out of the tournament this year. With Pool C being so competitive, that 7-2 loss to Kalamazoo early in the season will most likely keep the Maroons out of NCAAs this year. They don't have as strong of a resume as Bowdoin and if the Polar Bears get another win over Trinity (CT) in the NESCAC tourney, the Maroons won't have a prayer. The unfortunate thing for Chicago is they have 3 of the top 7 teams in the country in their conference and they have to beat one of them in about 10 days if they want to make the tournament. I just don't see it happening. This is clearly a great team but they fall prey to the bad NCAA selection process. If they can beat Wash U or Carnegie, they deserve to make the tournament.

16. Trinity (CT) - I mentioned in their pre-season preview that scheduling will kill the Bantams this year. They don't play a strong out of conference schedule so they won't have wins on their resume for the NCAA tournament. This forces them to beat one of the top teams in the NESCAC. They have already failed against Bowdoin and Midd, and that leaves Williams and Amherst. This is a strong and top-heavy team, but their season comes down to whether or not they can pull off an upset against one of those two. They would also need to follow this up with a good showing in the NESCAC tournament. I just don't see them being able to do this and I think they will fall just short of the tournament. They need to schedule more out-of-conference matches if they want to make a splash in Pool C. It's unfortunate, but it's how the system works.

17. DePauw - The Tigers had a good year last year and qualified for the National Indoor tournament but they finished 7th because of a very difficult draw. They had one weekend on their schedule that I knew would define their season. That was home matches against Kalamazoo and Chicago. They were struggling with injuries that weekend and lost both matches 7-2 on their home courts. After this occured, we knew they would have to win their conference to get in the tournament. I think they are pretty evenly matched with Trinity (TX), and they have won 3 consecutive conference titles. Their season comes down to one match, but they also have to be careful to not overlook a tricky Rhodes team in the semis. The Tigers are strong this year, it just depends if they can come through when it matters most.

18. Redlands - The Bulldogs expect to be a top 10 team every year and a finish out of the top 15 is a down year for them. They have also made the NCAA tournament many years in a row so this should be quite a shock for them this year to miss it. I was expecting a big year from Redlands because of their strong recruiting class. I also thought Spearman could improve and become one of the best players in D3. The thing that killed this team is the loss of Reading, their #2 player. That coupled with some early season losses shook their confidence and they weren't able to recover. They should manage to finish 3rd in their conference and in the top 20, but this year doesn't live up to the standards of the great tennis tradition at Redlands.

19. Kalamazoo - Kzoo shocked me at the beginning of the season when they came out and gave Kenyon a hard time and then followed it up with dominant wins against Chicago and DePauw. I didn't even consider them a top 20 team, but they peaked at #13 in the ITA rankings. Things went downhill after that. They were swept in doubles against Salisbury and then barely got a win against Newport. They were beaten routinely by CMU and then lost to DePauw to finish 4th in the GLCA. Right now, this team is struggling but we know they have it in them to play with the best in the country. I would expect them to find their early season form for the tournament and give the top seed in their region a hard time.

20. Whitman - I actually expected pretty big things from this team this year. They stayed undefeated in their conference and played Cruz pretty tough the second time around. The one match I think they will be disappointed with is the 7-2 loss against Redlands. I thought this was a winnable match for a team this strong. Solomon is a very good player and he's been a good leader for them. If they can manage to avoid the West Regional in NCAAs, they are potentially dangerous to the top seed in their region because they are experienced and have a good balance of top players and depth. This is a good, experienced team and one to watch in the tournament.

21. Salisbury - They had an average California swing getting crushed three times by stronger teams, but when they returned home, they had the win that defined their season in an upset against Kalamazoo. They barely managed to get the win after sweeping doubles and this was an early sign that maybe they weren't deserving of their #14 ranking after this match. Salisbury is pretty strong everywhere and I was pretty impressed with them prior to the Mary Wash match. They were swept in singles which is just unacceptable for a team ranked top 15. They have the conference championship coming up and they will have to win on the road to get in the tournament.

22. Pomona - Pitzer - Despite having a strong team and starting the season fairly well, the Hens are a distant 4th in their conference with the emergence of Cal Lu this year. They will miss the tournament but this doesn't mean they aren't a strong team. I think they could upset Redlands on the right day and the fact that they are still young is quite promising for the future. I think this program gains a little bit each year and they were up to #17 in the ITA rankings this year after a convincing win against Mary Wash. About what I expected from the Hens this year, and they still have their conference tournament to play.

23. Mary Washington - Overall a poor season for the Eagles however as I've said several times, they got the win they needed against Salisbury. This team has good depth and could give some of the best teams in the country a hard time. Their doubles has been up and down but I feel like they need to step up their doubles play when they play top 15 teams. If they can beat Salisbury again in the conference final, I would consider this a successful season for the Eagles even if they don't finish in the top 20. They could get a #2 seed in their region and be a potential threat to Carnegie or Hopkins.

24. Vassar - They were one of the hottest teams in the country a month ago but their flaws became apparent when they started facing stronger competition. This team rarely sees the national scene so I consider this a good season for them with two seniors leading the way. With a little bit of luck, Vassar could find themselves as a #2 seed in their NCAA region. They just don't have the depth of the other top Northeast teams and if they can't get ahead in doubles it will be very tough for them to stay competitive with top 20 teams.

25. Washington & Lee - I find their season eerily similar to Mary Washington, however the difference is that the Generals lost their regular season match against the team they need to beat. HSC is clearly not that strong of a team after losing to Salisbury 8-1, but somehow they manage to get pumped up to beat W&L. The Generals lone good win is against their in-state rival UMW, but they have losses to Salisbury, Chicago and HSC. So far a disappointing season for the Generals but they still have a big match coming up in about two weeks that could give them back the conference title and put them into the tournament.

D3tennis.com Team Rankings April 28, 2009

1. Wash U
2. Emory
3. CMS
4. UC Santa Cruz
5. Middlebury
6. Amherst
7. Williams
8. Kenyon
9. Redlands
10. Gustavus
11. Bowdoin
12. Johns Hopkins
13. DePauw
14. Carnegie Mellon
15. Trinity (TX)
16. UT-Tyler
17. Chicago
18. Mary Washington
19. Trinity (CT)
20. Skidmore
21. Kalamazoo
22. NC Wesleyan
23. Denison
24. Cal Lutheran
25. Bates

D3Tennis.com Team Rankings April 21, 2009

1. Wash U
2. Emory
3. CMS
4. UC Santa Cruz
5. Amherst
6. Middlebury
7. Williams
8. Kenyon
9. Redlands
10. Gustavus
11. Bowdoin
12. Johns Hopkins
13. DePauw
14. Carnegie Mellon
15. Trinity (TX)
16. UT-Tyler
17. Chicago
18. Mary Washington
19. Trinity (CT)
20. North Carolina Wesleyan
21. Kalamazoo
22. Skidmore
23. Denison
24. Washington & Lee
25. Cal Lutheran

D3tennis.com Team Rankings April 13, 2009

1. Emory
2. Wash U
3. CMS
4. UC Santa Cruz
5. Amherst
6. Middlebury
7. Williams
8. Kenyon
9. Redlands
10. Gustavus
11. Bowdoin
12. Johns Hopkins
13. DePauw
14. Carnegie Mellon
15. Trinity (TX)
16. UT-Tyler
17. Chicago
18. Mary Washington
19. Trinity (CT)
20. North Carolina Wesleyan
21. Kalamazoo
22. Washington & Lee
23. Denison
24. Whitman
25. Skidmore

D3Tennis.com Team Rankings April 7, 2009

1. Emory
2. Wash U
3. CMS
4. UC Santa Cruz
5. Williams
6. Middlebury
7. Amherst
8. Kenyon
9. Redlands
10. Gustavus Adolphus
11. Bowdoin
12. Trinity (TX)
13. Johns Hopkins
14. Carnegie Mellon
15. UT-Tyler
16. DePauw
17. Mary Washington
18. Trinity (CT)
19. Denison
20. Chicago
21. NC Wesleyan
22. Washington & Lee
23. Whitman
24. Skidmore
25. Kalamazoo

Rankings 1-12 and Mid-Season Reports April 1, 2009

1. Emory - They had a good win against CMS in California. The thing I took from that 5-4 result is that this team is beatable on a bad day. That being said, the opponent has to be playing unbelievable for the Eagles to fall this year. All signs point to a national championship for this season and I think it will take a lot to derail them from this goal. They will be tested against Williams in a few days and of course in the semis and final at UAAs. Emory has to keep themselves from feeling the pressure of being expected to win every match and if they can do so, I think they will win nationals. If they can take 2 doubles points, they are unbeatable against anyone.

2. Wash U - The Bears haven't had a lot of D3 action lately, but they have an action packed weekend coming up. they have 3 very tough matches against DePauw, Gustavus and Kenyon. I would be most worried about Kenyon though and I'm anxious to see how Watts responds against Greenberg in their 3rd encounter this season. The Bears looked great at Indoors and we will see if they can continue their excellent play for the rest of the season. They have outstanding singles and their doubles has improved more than any team in the country. They have to set their sights on beating Emory and I'm looking forward to seeing how they respond in the probable UAA final.

3. CMS - Their loss to Williams showed that they are beatable on their home courts and probably was good for the Stags, showing them that there is work left to be done. Their doubles has been good and if the defending national champions cold find their old form, life would be a lot easier. The middle of their singles lineup has proven to be vulnerable and this could hurt them against tough competition. Everything now is leading up to their regular season match with Santa Cruz to most likely determine the site of NCAAs. If CMS gets to the Elite 8, they will be a tough out because it is being played on their home turf.

4. UC Santa Cruz - The Slugs have avenged their Indoors losses very well in recent weeks and they are one of the hottest teams in the country. Their 9-0 win against Redlands now looks very impressive and wins against Kenyon, Gustavus and Middlebury show that this is one of the best teams in the country. Their singles is so tough top to bottom and they boast a great 1-2 punch in doubles. Their season could come down to their regular season match with CMS to determine who hosts NCAAs. Lucky for Cruz they are hosting this match. I'm sure this will be another classic between two great teams and don't be surprised to see the Slugs in the Final 4 again.

5. Williams - Despite a heartbreaking loss to Redlands, the win against CMS was more impressive to me. CMS had been almost unbeatable at home and Williams showed that they can bounce back from anything. They went from being swept in doubles to sweeping doubles, so while being inconsistent, this team also has a lot of heart. Their singles are very good but beatable. They have a good mixture of experience and youth and it's too hard to say right now what to expect from them in the long run. As of right now, I would say that they are the favorite for the NESCAC title but they are very evenly matched with the other two contenders. A Final 4 contender for sure.

6. Middlebury - Three great matches out in California by Middlebury and it's unfortunate that they came out on the wrong end of two of them. The CMS match was a great battle and it was appropriate that it came down to the last match. Their doubles were good but not great and they will need to get 2 of the doubles to put themselves in a position to win against tough competition like Williams and Amherst. The NESCAC title is really up for grabs and Midd has as good of a shot as anyone. This team seems to always make a final 4 run and they have a great chance at winning their Elite 8 match. I don't think they are talented enough to beat Emory, but another top 4 finish looks promising.

7. Amherst - They did what they were supposed to in California and supplemented their fall wins with a good win against Redlands. They showed that they won't lose to teams ranked below them, but at the same time they probably won't pull a big upset, as they got beaten by CMS very solidly. This team has great depth, but their doubles could be a weakness against the other NESCAC teams. They have a great coach who will definitely have his guys ready for every match. Their tough regular season NESCAC matches will tell us a lot more about this young team. I could see them making the Elite 8, but I think they may have a tough time getting past that stage in NCAAs.

8. Kenyon - The Lords showed good resolve with two wins last weekend after a string of losses. They have a top 5 caliber team, they just need to put all the pieces together. Their doubles have been very streaky and if they can get 1 win somewhere in the lineup they are in good shape for singles. They need work to compete with the likes of Emory, but they will get a shot at Wash U this weekend in a rematch of the Indoors semis. Greenberg and Piskacek will need to step up and an upset is not out of the question. If they keep winning, they could move ahead of the NESCAC teams in the rankings and I would also expect them to host a very winnable regional in NCAAs.

9. Redlands - Despite good wins against Williams and Gustavus, they still have a bad loss to UT-Tyler and this is holding them back a bit. It is also an advantage that they get to play every match at home. The bottom of the lineup as well as their doubles has really been excellent this year and Spearman is a solid #1 player for the next few years. This is a good team that is very hard to play because they fight hard, but they will have a hard time making it out of their NCAA regional. A second round match against Santa Cruz or CMS should spell a loss for this team but that doesn't mean they aren't having an excellent season. They should finish in the top 10 but won't be a real factor in the tournament.

10. Gustavus Adolphus - Their Indoors results were offset by 3 losses in California. Gustavus was beaten soundly by Redlands and Williams and their 5-4 against Santa Cruz was never really close after singles started. They just don't have enough players to compete with the top teams this year and I think they got a false sense of security at Indoors. That being said, they should dominate their conference once again and most likely will find themselves hosting NCAAs with a great opportunity to make the Elite 8. Barring a meltdown late in the season, they should hold their #10 spot for quite a while. The truth is they are overmatched by most of the top 10 though.

11. Bowdoin - Their California swing produced mixed results that are hard to interpret right now. Their doubles as well as the middle of their singles lineup were extremely inconsistent. One thing we do know is Sullivan has found last year's form and Pena could be a future star in Division 3. I doubt they have it in them to beat one of the top 3 in the NESCAC but a 4th place finish should be plenty to qualify them for the tournament. They actually match up well with Amherst and Williams and they could pull an upset in the tournament but I just don't see them cracking the top 10 this year. They have a lot of talent and if they can get their doubles in order, this could be a very good team.

12. Johns Hopkins - They looked tough in the one match they played, but playing such an easy schedule is a questionable strategy. It's too hard to say whether they will be prepared for NCAAs because they haven't faced the same sort of competition as other teams. They will be going into NCAAs without exposure to a top 10 team and their upcoming Mary Wash match won't be that tough if the Eagles continue their losing ways. That being said, this is a good team with a great 1-2 punch and two of the best doubles teams in the country. If their bottom guys can win consistently, they could find themselves headed to a Final Four. Their NCAA fate is too hard to say right now because we haven't seen enough of them.

Rankings 13-25 and Mid-Season Reports March 31, 2009

13. Carnegie Mellon - They have done what they are supposed to do so far this season. Their doubles seems to have improved, but they are losing at the 5 and 6 spots where they used to be dominant. They are very talented and have the potential to pull off a big upset, they just have to all be on the same page on the same day. They have some tough contests coming up at GLCA, which will go a long way in determining their NCAA fate. They should finish 3rd at UAA's and they have the potential to give Wash U a tough match in the semis.

14. UT-Tyler - A very up and down season for the Patriots so far. Their win against Redlands now looks great and has kept them in the top 15, but they have struggled with weaker competition such as Pomona-Pitzer and Birmingham Southern. If Tyler wants to become a fixture on the national scene they need to get more wins from the bottom half of their lineup. Phillips has been supporting this team almost by himself this year and he needs help. They have a huge match against Trinity (TX) this weekend and a win should keep them in the top 15.

15. Trinity (TX) - Their one win this year proved to not to be that strong and their easy schedule is catching up to them. They have a huge match against UT-Tyler this weekend and this is their last chance before their conference championship to show what they are made of. Their singles is questionable and I don't know if their young guys can hold up against the intensity of tougher opponents. Their two bad losses at Indoors still make them a question mark, but they can prove that they are for real with dominant victory this weekend.

16. DePauw - A great Hilton Head swing for these guys got some wins under their belt and they are ready for tougher competition now. I still think their singles could be a liability against a higher ranked team, but they have national caliber doubles at all positions. If they get healthy, they could win an SCAC championship or pull an upset against a top 15 team. A very dangerous team that has a good mix of youth and experience. We will see how tough they are at the GLCA tournament in a few weeks and this will go a long way in determining their future this season.

17. Mary Washington - I don't think anyone knows what's wrong with this team this year. They went from being a pre-season national championship contender to out of the top 15 in the matter of just over a month. James and Loden are no longer winning at the top and their once spectacular #1 doubles team is now losing. They really need to be concerned about losing to Salisbury because the way this season has gone, I can easily see it happening. They still have a chance to turn things around with a win against Hopkins.

18. Trinity (CT) - They are in a tough spot because they didn't pad their schedule with wins this year. By putting themselves in this position, they now need to upset one of the top 3 teams in the NESCAC to have a chance at the tournament. This is obviously an excellent team given their results against Bowdoin, but that was a really tough loss for them because the Bantams don't have a lot of opportunities to show their stuff. I don't expect them to beat one of the big three and I think it would take a great effort from these guys to end up making the tournament.

19. Denison - Still a real mystery because of their easy schedule, they have a few battles with Kenyon coming up. I wouldn't
expect them to really challenge Kenyon, but you never know. They had a good win early in the season against a very good Chicago team giving them their spot in the top 20, but after that they have been quiet on the national scene. They traditionally have very good doubles, but the question is if their top guys can hang with Greenberg and Piskacek and past results point to that being unlikely.

20. Chicago - On paper one of the best teams in the country. Despite good wins over Whitman and Carleton, I still have to say that they have underachieved this year with losses to Denison and DePauw. They have a tough stretch coming up where they play UT-Tyler and Wash U, so maybe their true colors will come out during these matches. I don't see them qualifying for NCAAs through the At-large pool, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve to be there. This is also a very young team and they have the talent to be in a the top 10 in a few years.

21. North Carolina Wesleyan - This all international team is the surprise of the year so far. They are this year's CNU and they also happen to be from the Atlantic South. I don't think they are a dominant team because they just squeaked out a win against Salisbury, but I would say that most teams don't want to see them come tournament time because they are unknown. I don't know if they have the depth to pull and upset against a good team this year, but they are very young and they also have a bright future to look forward to.

22. Washington & Lee - As we've seen so far, this is a true rebuilding year for the Generals. They are get blown out by regional foes that they usually have competitive matches with. The doubles just hasn't been there this year and they don't have a guy at the top of the lineup who can win against good teams. Their 4, 5 and 6 are solid but they don't win on a consistent basis. I doubt they will be able to pull an upset during NCAAs, but the very good news for W&L is that that future looks bright and more experience could make them a top 20 team again.

23. Bates - A pretty good team and it's a real shame they don't play in an easier conference. Their NCAA hopes went down the tubes when Shadowen left. They don't have the personnel to pull an upset against one of the top 5 teams in the NESCAC and this would be their only ticket into the top 20. They are able to beat lesser teams because they are top heavy but when they faced a real test against Middlebury they got blown out. Bates should be the last team to qualify for the NESCAC tournament and should fall easily in the first round.

24. Whitman - Whitman will dominate their conference once again and qualify for NCAAs but I think they are weaker than in past years. Their doubles is solid as always but they can't compete with top 20 teams in the middle of the singles lineup. They are losing badly in singles to teams ranked a few spots above them. This is a good team that will give the top 20 a hard time but they don't have enough players to pull a big upset. Whitman should win out and their conference and be hot heading into NCAAs but they need to get lucky to get get shipped out of the West.

25. Skidmore - They started out the season well being undefeated and they crack the top 25 because of wins over Christopher Newport, TCNJ and Vassar. They were playing well but they got demolished by Amherst this weekend showing that they really can't compete with top teams. They have one more tough match against Middlebury and they could lose their top 25 ranking if another team gets some good wins. They will make NCAA's through the Independent pool but I wouldn't expect much from them once they get there.

D3Tennis.com Team Rankings March 24, 2009

1. Emory
2. Wash U
3. CMS
4. Williams
5. UC Santa Cruz
6. Middlebury
7. Amherst
8. Gustavus Adolphus
9. Kenyon
10. Redlands
11. Bowdoin
12. Johns Hopkins
13. Carnegie Mellon
14. Trinity (TX)
15. UT-Tyler
16. Mary Washington
17. Trinity (CT)
18. DePauw
19. Denison
20. Chicago
21. Skidmore
22. Washington & Lee
23. North Carolina Wesleyan
24. Whitman
25. Bates

D3Tennis.com Team Rankings March 17, 2009

1. Emory
2. Wash U
3. CMS
4. Middlebury
5. Amherst
6. Williams
7. Gustavus
8. UC Santa Cruz
9. Kenyon
10. Redlands
11. Bowdoin
12. Trinity (TX)
13. Carnegie Mellon
14. UT-Tyler
15. Mary Washington
16. Johns Hopkins
16T. Trinity (CT)
18. DePauw
19. Denison
20. Cal Lutheran
21. Washington & Lee
22. Chicago
23. Whitman
24. Skidmore
25. Kalamazoo

Rankings 10-17 Discussion

Didn't put a lot of thought into this but here's what I have right now for the 10-17 range...

Trinity(TX)
Redlands
Bowdoin
CMU
Tyler
Mary Wash
Hopkins
Trinity (CT)

The interesting thing is there is no correct answer to this. You can make an argument for so many different orders. I can do my best to defend my order but obviously there are flaws. I'm pretty unsure and I'm posting this to get some feedback before actual rankings on Tuesday.

Hopkins and Trinity(CT) haven't played anyone yet. You could say it's unfair to penalize them but I don't know who they should be ahead of. We will get a look at Trinity (CT) on Tues and Hopkins next Sunday.

Mary Wash has played but not beaten anyone. They shouldn't be ahead of teams who have actually beaten someone.

Trinity(TX) has only played Indoors and they don't have another tough match until Tyler on April 4th. Should they be protected because of one win against Mary Wash? They play a weak schedule.

After that things get really tricky and like I said there is really no right order.

D3tennis.com Team Rankings March 10, 2009

1. Emory
2. Wash U
3. CMS
4. Middlebury
5. Amherst
6. Kenyon
7. Williams
8. Gustavus
9. Santa Cruz
10. Trinity (TX)
11. Bowdoin
12. Redlands
13. Mary Washington
14. Carnegie Mellon
15. Johns Hopkins
16. Trinity (CT)
17. DePauw
18. UT-Tyler
19. Washington & Lee
20. Denison
21. Cal Lutheran
22. Bates
23. Chicago
24. Whitman
25. Kalamazoo

D3tennis.com Team Rankings March 3, 2009

1. Emory
2. Wash U
3. CMS
4. Middlebury
5. Amherst
6. Kenyon
7. Williams
8. Gustavus
9. Santa Cruz
10. Bowdoin
11. Trinity (TX)
12. Mary Washington
13. Johns Hopkins
14. Carnegie Mellon
15. Trinity(CT)
16. Redlands
17. DePauw
18. UT-Tyler
19. Bates
20. Washington & Lee
21. Denison
22. Cal Lutheran
23. Whitman
24. Chicago
25. Kalamazoo

D3tennis.com Team Rankings February 24, 2009

1. Emory
2. Wash U
3. CMS
4. Middlebury
5. Amherst
6. Kenyon
7. Williams
8. Gustavus
9. UC Santa Cruz
10. Bowdoin
11. Trinity (TX)
12. Mary Washington
13. Redlands
14. Johns Hopkins
15. Carnegie Mellon
16. Trinity (CT)
17. DePauw
18. UT-Tyler
19. Bates
20. Washington & Lee
21. Denison
22. Chicago
23. Whitman
24. Kalamazoo
25. Pomona-Pitzer

D3Tennis.com Pre-Season Rankings 2/16/09

1. Emory - On paper, definitely the best team in the country. The best 1-2 punch in the country along with an extremely deep lineup makes Emory a clear favorite to win Indoors and Nationals if they play to their potential. They have had issues with mental toughness in the past and this could hold them back. Their doubles were a bit inconsistent last year, but it looks like they now have an automatic win at 1 doubles which will surely help a lot. I really don't see anyone derailing this team except themselves. The question in my mind is how close can other teams get to them. If Emory gets down in doubles, they could be vulnerable, but if they win 2 of the doubles, there's really no use in even playing the singles because everyone knows the outcome of the match.

2. Wash U - The #1 team in the nation according to the ITA and the defending national champions have everyone gunning for them now. They are the #1 seeds going into Indoors and one of the favorites to win. The interesting thing is that they didn't lose any seniors from their national champion squad last year so this team will definitely be back in full force this year. Watts is one of the top players in the country and they are also very deep. If Wash U plays good doubles like they did at NCAAs last year, they are nearly impossible to beat. They have switched up their lineup a bit so far this season and I'm interested to see how they fair at Indoors against the nation's other top teams.

3. CMS - Probably the most talented team in the country besides Emory, CMS is very hot and cold. They seem to have everyone play very well or vice versa. If they can stay on track for the entire season and peak near the end, this is definitely a national championship contender. Their doubles was a little suspect last year and if they can manage to get 2 doubles wins against the other top 5 teams, they are tough all the way through singles. Erani should play in the top 3 and be one of the top freshmen in the country. This team should be very hungry to get to the Elite 8 this year because they are hosting it and they will be very tough to beat in front of a large crowd on their home courts.

4. UC Santa Cruz- Santa Cruz defines the term "powerhouse" in D3 tennis. No matter who is on their team, the Slugs are always competing for a national championship and this year certainly won't be an exception. The loss of Pybas hurts and Kamel has been out of the lineup for an unknown reason, but they have new players who are filling in well. This team plays very good doubles and fights hard for every point. They will have a great match against Kenyon in the first round of Indoors and whoever wins has a good shot at Wash U. They also play a tough schedule and one thing we know about Santa Cruz is they are mentally tough. They will need it if they have to play NCAA regionals at CMS again.

5. Middlebury - A team that was really overlooked last year in my opinion. They quietly won and made a Final 4 run with an inexperienced team. They are a very good team and solid everywhere. With Olson returning to take over #1, they are very tough in singles. This team is very vulnerable in doubles and they were swept last year on several occasions. They shouldn't count on winning 5 singles matches too many times this year. Midd also plays a very tough schedule so they will be ready to go come NCAAs. As of now, I would say that Midd is the favorite to win the NESCAC, but they had a tough loss in the finals last year at home. Another Final 4 contender and potential finalist.

6. Amherst - Very impressive fall results for this team going 3 for 3 against 3 good teams. The Kenyon upset let us know that this team is for real. Amherst is the deepest team in the country and with one of the best coaches in the country, Amherst also has top 3 potential this year. They will eventually lose in NESCAC play and they also have a very tough California swing, but I expect Amherst to be a fixture in the top 8 for the whole year. You can get this team in the bottom of doubles and the top of singles though so they are vulnerable. If they can fix those small flaws and Lerner can step up to win a lot at 1, Amherst will be very hard to beat and could be the favorite for NESCAC.

7. Kenyon - A team who has very high expectations for this upcoming year. Piskacek has not quite met expectations but he will still be dominant in the top of the lineup. This is a team that can challenge Emory and on a good day, they really can blowout anyone in the country. If they can get their doubles in order and manage to take 2 of 3 in most matches, they could be a top 3 team. They should probably be ranked higher than 7, but the Amherst loss sets them back a little bit. They play a brutal spring schedule and they can easily make up for it. How they respond against Santa Cruz this weekend will tell us a lot about this team. This is a Final 4 contender and national championship dark horse.

8. Williams - They lost some valuable players to graduation last year but they have replaced them with some new outstanding freshmen. They apparently have a new #1 from England who should be a top 20 player in the country. This coupled with their depth will make Williams a very tough out in singles competition. Their weakness last year was doubles and this got them in trouble against CMS at NCAAs. If they can manage to get even 1 doubles point against the rest of the top 10, they have put themselves in a position to win the match. They play a very tough schedule and being in NESCAC certainly doesn't hurt their players in terms of match toughness. Another likely Elite 8 team.

9. Mary Washington - One of the most experienced teams in the country, starting seniors at 1, 2 and 3. They boast one of the nation's top doubles teams and this team has a huge amount of heart to go with their ability. Mary Washington is very solid all the way through the lineup and anyone who wants to beat them will need to get up on them in doubles and then be on the singles court for hours before earning a victory. While they might not have the talent of a top 8 team, they certainly are a very tough out in any situation. They will definitely be tested at Indoors and I'll be interested to see how their freshmen respond. This team has final 4 potential but I'd expect another Elite 8 finish for them.

10. Gustavus Adolphus - The real story for this team is the fact that Coach Steve Wilkinson will be entering his last year as head coach. The Gusties will really need some magic this year if they want to make it a memorable one from Wilk. They will need a better effort from the bottom their singles lineup this year. Kauss has turned into a top player in the nation and if he continues to be dominant, this is a dangerous team. No one questions their doubles depth, and if they can consistenly win at 2 and 3 doubles against top teams, they are tough to beat. They need to win Indoors to get confidence and if they do the sky is the limit for this team with a different kind of motivation this year.

11. Bowdoin - This team seems to be a mystery every year. They are very up and down, as shown by last year and they seem to always have new freshmen who are stepping up into the starting lineup. I have them at 11 right now but they certainly have top 10 talent with two new freshman who should both be in the top 4. Their doubles is streaky as well and it is pretty inevitable playing in NESCAC that they will lose a few matches. Their out of conference results will really determine their eventual ranking. They should get an At-Large spot for NCAAs and they are dangerous once they're there.

12. Johns Hopkins - Despite the fact that they lost 2 seniors and finished last year at #19, I really like this team. They were beaten soundly by Amherst, but it's very clear that the talent is there. Maldow and Wang have turned into a great 1-2 punch as well as a good 1 doubles team. They are solid through the middle of the lineup, but what worries me is the bottom in singles and doubles. They only play two competitive matches this season against CMU and Mary Wash and they will definitely have to win both to prove themselves worthy of a top 15 ranking. They will win their conference though.

13. Redlands - A completely new look for this team with two graduating seniors and a transfer. They have Liebman moved back to 4 and I know this is a team that doesn't switch their lineup often. We know they are deep like every other year, but the question is if their top guys can step up and win against good teams. Their doubles will make or break them this year. Good doubles could put them as high as 8 or 9 and bad doubles could drop them from the top 15. They will finish 2nd in the conference and make NCAAs through the At-Large pool where they'll probably bow out to CMS or Santa Cruz.

14. Carnegie Mellon - A very talented team with a lot of upside who hasn't really broken out of their shell yet. They struggled with doubles last season and this is what kept them out of the top 12. They have a very deep lineup and if their top three or four can consistently win they can be dangerous. They will most likely finish 3rd in the UAA because they are overmatched against the top 2, but they could pull an upset against a team ranked 5-12. Another contender in the NCAA At-large pool and I would expect them to steal one of the last two spots.

15. Trinity (CT) - They most likely will be the better of the Trinity's this year for the first time in a while. This is another sleeper team that plays well in big matches. They lost two very important seniors, but got a good recruit who should play near the top of their lineup. I would say that they are overmatched against the top 4 teams in the NESCAC, but they certainly made a believer out of everyone last year. They will be competing in the At-large pool for NCAAs and I think that they will most likely be clawing for that 7th spot.

16. Trinity (TX) - If anyone is in a true rebuilding year, it's definitely the Tigers. They lost 4 excellent players last year and start several underclassmen. On the flip side, Coach Newman is outstanding at developing his players, especially in doubles. With the exception of Indoors, they play a very easy schedule, only playing Tyler. This could leave them as a question mark in the rankings. They should win the SCAC Championship against DePauw. More realistically, I would expect them to finish around 15 and they probably won't see the top 12 after the first rankings.

17. UT-Tyler - A very talented team who made themselves known on the national scene last year. They have some new players this year and really didn't lose anyone too important. They have an underrated 1-2 punch in Sajovich and Phillips that could give problems to some higher ranked teams. Tyler fights really hard and they are going to need this throughout their very difficult schedule. I would not be surprised if they can upset Trinity(TX) this year. They will win their conference again and they are definitely a team that you don't want to play in NCAAs.

18. DePauw - This is another team in a sort of rebuilding mode after their Elite 8 performance two years ago. They had a disappointing year last year and just snuck into NCAAs, and the one-time powerhouse seems to be slowly slipping. Another upset of Trinity (TX) could make their season, because I think they will have a very tough time cracking the top 15. They have a solid middle of the lineup, but they will almost always get beaten near the top by good teams. DePauw needs to get some good recruits to improve.

19. Bates - Bates returns one of the top doubles teams in the country along with one of the best singles players in the Northeast. They have a good freshman who should play near the top of the lineup and give fits to more experienced NESCAC players. They could make some noise in the At-Large pool for NCAAs, but they aren't quite there yet because I think they are still lacking depth. They will probably finish 6th in NESCAC and despite having less talent than teams ranked directly below them such as Chicago, Bates is very consistent and this could get them in the top 20.

20. Washington & Lee - One of the youngest teams in the country is really in rebuilding mode. They have some outstanding freshmen and a bright future, but they don't have the experience to match their results from the last few years. Another conference championship is almost guaranteed and they are a threat in NCAAs no matter who they play. They don't have strong players at the top, but this is a deep team who can definitely challenge the top 10 teams. They will have a good season and finish right around 20 and most likely bow out to a more talented team in NCAAs.

21. Denison - A team that was really under the radar last season opened some eyes already this season by beating a tough Chicago team. Denison is always a very good team but they can't seem to take that next step into the top 15. They should stay ranked most of the season because they play a pretty easy schedule with the exception of Kenyon. I don't expect Denison to cause any fireworks on the national scene but I'm sure they will quietly have another good season and finish somewhere between 20 and 25 in the country.

22. Chicago - This team has dug themselves into a hole already with a loss to Denison and a spanking by Kenyon. We thought Chicago had the potential to be a top 15 team, but these early season results don't suggest that. The season is only a few weeks old and already Chicago has a lot of work to do if they want an NCAA bid from the At-Large pool. A finish outside of the top 20 should be extremely disappointing for this team given the amount of talent they have. Chicago needs to regroup and go back to the drawing board.

23. Carleton - This could potentially be the year where Carleton beats Gustavus and there is a changing of the guard in the MIAC. Gustavus travels to Carleton for their regular season matchup and a win for Carleton could have them in the At-Large NCAA mix. They have some good recruits over the past few years and they have now turned into a Top 25 caliber team. I don't expect them to beat Gustavus at GAC, but they certainly have the potential to crack the top 20. This is a good team and they also have a tough Spring Break in Hilton Head which will test them.

24. Pomona-Pitzer - I wasn't sure how this team would be, but I think they made an early season statement giving Redlands a very hard time. Anyone who can win 3 singles matches against a top 15 team deserves to be ranked. They play one of the toughest schedules in the country and this can only help a fairly young team. While they may finish under .500 and most likely 3rd or 4th in their conference, this is a good, top-heavy team who can give some top 10 teams a run for their money on a good day.

25. Whitman - The loss of the Solomon brothers really hurts Whitman, and with Matt Solomon leading this team, they had a chance to be top 20. However, Whitman prides themselves on depth and despite the fact they don't have superstars, they still have enough good players to beat most teams in the country. They play very good doubles and should win their conference giving them an NCAA bid. I'd expect them to hover between 20 and 25 in the rankings for most of the year. A tough Hilton Head stretch for them with 3 ranked teams in under a week.

Others: Kalamazoo, Skidmore, Cal Lutheran, Salisbury, Vassar, Luther, Christopher Newport, NYU, Haverford, MIT