Jan. 9, 2002

Waco - Baylor's men's tennis team is ranked No. 16 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's recently released preseason team rankings. In addition, three singles players and two doubles teams are ranked in the top 10 of the South Central Region.

Matt Knoll's Bears are coming off an impressive fall season that resulted in three singles players and three doubles teams ranked among the nation's best. Freshman Benni Becker is ranked No. 3 nationally after an impressive second place finish in the ITA Indoor Nationals. Becker is also ranked third in the South Central Region. Sophomore Markus Hornung garnered a No. 25 national ranking while sophomore Reiner Neurohr is No. 91. In regional rankings Hornung is No. 5, Neurohr No.10, junior Zoltan Papp is No. 19, sophomore Matias Marin is No. 22 and freshman Armando Carrascosa No. 23. In doubles Hornung and Nuerohr are ranked No. 8 nationally and first in the region and Nathan McGregor and Papp are seventh in the region and No. 57 nationally.

Baylor will open the season on Jan. 18 when they travel to Houston to participate in the Rice Invitational. Their first home match will be on Tues., Jan. 22 against Sterling University of Edinburg, Scotland, a match recently added to the schedule. The Bears' first official home match will be on Sat., Jan. 26 when they host No. 14 Mississippi State.

Of the Bears' 22 dual matches, 13 are against teams ranked 58th or above. Also, nine of their matches are against school's ranked in the top 25.

For a complete listing of rankings please visit the ITA's official website: Click here