February 13, 2008

Tennis Teams Picked Second

Three Lopers on RMAC Preseason Team

       Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney tennis teams have each been picked to finish second in the RMAC preseason coaches poll.

      The poll and preseason team, voted on by the league's head coaches, was released earlier today.

      On the men's side, UNK received 13 points and one first place vote to come in behind rival Metro State (six points; six first place votes).

      The Loper men have won three straight RMAC regular titles and three of the last four RMAC tournaments. Metro ended UNK's 23-match win streak vs. RMAC competition last year in the RMAC Tournament finals.

      The 'Runners also beat the Lopers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

      Mesa State, with seven points and five first place votes, was picked to win the women's race. UNK tallied 14 points and two first place votes.

      UNK placed second in the RMAC last year and then lost in the semifinals to Western New Mexico.

      Individually, senior William Jacome (Miami, Fla.) and sophomores Kristin Messbarger (Kearney Catholic) and Katie-Mary Outhwaite (Western Australia) were named to the RMAC preseason team.

      Jacome is a three-time RMAC Player of the Year but Metro State's Sascha Ruckelshausen was tabbed as this year's preseason Player of the Year. Last spring, Jacome twice beat Ruckelshausen in straight sets.

      Outhwaite spent last year at Division I Memphis while Messbarger earned RMAC Freshman of the Year honors.

      The UNK women play Central Oklahoma this Saturday in Lincoln, then face Division I members SE Missouri State and Air Force in the coming weeks. The Loper men (2-0) are off until March 4^th.