Women's Tennis Earns First Ever Preseason Top 10 Ranking

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CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia women’s tennis team will open a season ranked in the top 10 for the first time in school history, as it earned a No. 9 preseason ranking. The Cavaliers also had a school-record six ranked singles players and two ranked doubles teams as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association released its preseason rankings.

The Cavaliers are one of three ACC teams ranked in the top 10 and one of seven ACC teams in the top 20. Virginia returns all six starters from a 2011 squad that finished ranked No. 11 and reached the NCAA round of 16 for the first time in school history.

Seniors Emily Fraser (Rye, N.Y.) and Lindsey Hardenbergh (Fairfax Station, Va.) lead the group of six Cavaliers ranked in singles at No. 29 and No. 30, respectively. Fraser’s No. 29 national ranking is her career high. Juniors Erin Vierra (Norwell, Mass.), Maria Fuccillo (Rockville, Md.) and Hana Tomljanovic (Boca Raton. Fla.) are listed at No. 75, No. 76 and No. 85 in the singles rankings. Sophomore Caryssa Peretz (Cherry Hill, N.J.) is ranked for the first time in her career at No. 89. Virginia is tied with California and Duke for the most players ranked in the current singles top 125.

Virginia had two doubles teams ranked with the duo of Fuccillo and first-year Li Xi (Kunming, China) at No. 36 and the team of Fraser and Tomljanovic at No. 54.

The Cavaliers open the spring season with a pair of individual tournaments January 14-16. Most of the team will be in action at the UVa Winter Classic at the Boar’s Head Sports Club, which features No. 23 Alabama, No. 49 Utah and No. 62 Wake Forest along with Virginia. Select players will travel to Palm Springs, Calif., for the National College Tennis Classic.

Virginia opens the dual match season on Feb. 21 as it faces No. 18 Tennessee at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.