APSU Lady Govs Tennis picked seventh in OVC preseason ranks

Austin Peay Sports Information

Brentwood, TN – Austin Peay State University women’s tennis team was picked to finish seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll, gaining 44 points and one first-place vote.

Furthermore, freshmen Lidia Yanes Garcia and Claudia Yanes Garcia received top-10 player grades – ranking fifth and 10th, respectively.

SIU Edwardsville (84 points) was selected No. 1 in the predicted order of finish as voted by OVC coaches, followed by Murray State (82), Eastern Kentucky (80), UT Martin (79), Eastern Illinois (69), Morehead State (57), Austin Peay (44), Jacksonville State (40), Belmont (29), Southeast Missouri (28) and Tennessee State (10).

UT Martin’s Hitomi Naito was voted as the league’s No. 1 player in front of SIUE teammates Mia Frogner and Lexi Aranda.

APSU has showcased sound improvements since the beginning of preseason, which led to its first win of 2016 against Evansville, 6-1. The addition of the Garcia twins has given head coach Ross Brown a talented duo at the top of the order, along with newcomer Helena Kuppig. Returning players Brittney Covington, Isabela Jovanovic and Hannah Tatlock provide valuable experience to complete the roster.

The Govs host Dayton and Chattanooga on back-to-back dates this Friday and Saturday at the Governors Tennis Center.