Rankings are out: Panthers No. 13 when spring begins

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University women's tennis team will begin the spring season ranked No. 13 in Division III and No. 2 in the West Region according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) polls released on Thursday. Additionally, three Panthers are ranked in the top-20 singles players in the West Region.

The ranking comes as no surprise as Chapman finished last season as runner's up in the West Region playoffs with a 13-5 record and ranked No. 11 in the nation. The Panthers did not have any seniors on last year's roster.

Seniors Liz Lewis and Kelley Fox rank No. 3 and No. 8 in the West Region, respectively, after strong performances in the Fall Regionals last month. Chapman's three-time All-American, Lewis went undefeated during the 2010 regular season and racked up an overall record of 26-2. Fox also earned All-America honors in singles for the first time in her career with a record of 13-5 in 2009-10. 

What do you get when you put two of the top-8 players together? You have the Fox and Lewis doubles team that ranks No. 2 in the West to start the season. The Lewis-Fox combo made a statement a month ago as they reached the finals of the ITA Fall Regionals in their first action of the year.

Coming off her freshman season with a record of 6-2 and a quarterfinals appearance at the Fall Regionals, Genna Ford will enter her second year as a Panther as the No. 15-rated player in the region. 

Thanks to their national ranking at the conclusion of the 2010 season, Chapman will play in the ITA Division III National Team Indoor Championships hosted by Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) from March 4-6, 2011. It's the first time the Panthers have qualified for the event. They will represent the West in the eight-team field that includes top-seeded No. 3 Emory University (Ga.) and No. 4 University of Chicago.

by Robert Flicker & Doug Aiken
Sports Information Intern and Sports Information Director