FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 3-18-02

AASU Women's Tennis Ascends To No. 1 Ranking
Lady Pirates Top Latest Omni Hotels DII Rankings Released Monday

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Armstrong Atlantic State women's tennis team ascended to No. 1 in the latest Omni Hotels/ITA Division II Collegiate Tennis rankings, released Monday by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).

The Lady Pirates replaced Lynn University at the top of the rankings, thanks to AASU's 5-1 win over Lynn on March 1. AASU (13-1) is undefeated this season against NCAA Division II competition and is ranked at the top of the poll for the first time since the 1997 season, when the Lady Pirates entered the 1997 NCAA Division II National Championships as the top-ranked team in the country. BYU-Hawaii is ranked second, while Lynn, Barry and West Florida round out the top five ranked women's teams.

AASU, which captured the 1995 and 1996 NCAA Division II National Championships in women's tennis, also boasts the top-ranked singles player in NCAA Division II in sophomore Zsofi Golopencza. Freshman Annamaria Forgacs is ranked No. 10 in singles, while senior Michaela Kratochvilova is ranked No. 14. Golopencza and Kratochvilova are ranked No. 4 in doubles as of the latest rankings, while Forgacs and sophomore Laura Peaty are ranked No. 11 in doubles.

The AASU men's squad remained at No. 19 in the latest rankings, and sophomore Roger Thiele entered the national singles rankings for the first time in his career, coming in at No. 25 in the country.

Both AASU tennis squads will be in action this Wednesday, March 20 at 1:30 p.m. as they host the top-ranked men's and women's teams in NAIA, Auburn-Montgomery, at the AASU Tennis Complex.

- Pirates -