BC's veteran group selected fourth in men's tennis preseason poll

by Cory Guinn

HIGH POINT, N.C. – On Tuesday morning, the Conference Carolinas league office released its 2015 Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll, ranking the Barton College Bulldogs fourth on the list.

The Bulldogs finished last season 14-7 overall with a 3-5 mark in league play, including a postseason run in the conference tournament that saw them lose in the championship round to tournament champion Mount Olive.

The Trojans were selected first in the preseason poll with Pfeiffer University and Limestone College ranking second and third respectively.

"The conference is a very competitive league," said seventh-year head coach Tom Schrecengost. "Mount Olive is certainly deserving of the pre-season top pick based on the guys they have returning and their past success. Pfeiffer is much improved and very deep and Limestone is always a tough out, as is just about everyone we play."

Barton will be led by sophomore Jake McCartney playing as the No. 1 singles player. The Thames, New Zealand native compiled a 15-4 singles record and a 16-5 doubles record during his first season at the collegiate level to earn Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year and a place on the Conference Carolinas All-Conference First Team.

The No. 2 player for Schrecengost's team will be junior Rafael Ruiz, who was a member of the Conference Carolinas All-Conference Second team after posting a 12-9 singles record and 16-5 doubles record with McCartney as his partner.

Senior Max Leppert returns for his final season in Royal Blue and White as the No.3 player, totaling a 12-5 singles record and an 8-6 doubles record a season ago.

Senior Jorge Pradilla and juniors Nick Genest and Daniel Radi are expected to round out the competition roster along with sophomore Yaxi Pintado, who saw limited action last season on the court. The doubles fixtures plan to feature Ruiz-McCartney playing in the No. 1 spot followed by Genest-Leppard at No. 2, with the final doubles pairing likely to involve multiple combinations.

"We now have a more veteran laden group with kids who know what it takes to win," said Schrecengost of his expectations for this season. "(The guys) have been preparing extremely hard and we look forward to that hard work paying off with positive results this spring."