Florida squeezes out a No. 1 SEC Preseason Coaches Poll ranking, four points ahead of Mississippi State.
Gators First in SEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Wednesday, January 23, 2019 | Men's Tennis
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida earned the No. 1 ranking in the SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league announced on Wednesday.
The Gators, who finished 19-10 overall and 9-3 in SEC play to secure a third-place finish last season, totaled 152 points and were picked to win the SEC title.
Florida garnered just four points more than second-place Mississippi State. Texas A&M, the defending SEC champion, earned the No. 4 ranking.
The Gators return the nucleus of last years' team, including four-time All-American Alfredo Perez, two-time All-American Johannes Ingildsen and one-time All-Americans McClain Kessler and Duarte Vale. Sophomore Oliver Crawford, who was named the 2018 SEC Freshman of the Year and the 2018 ITA Southeast Region Rookie of the Year, will captain this Gators' squad.
UF lost three seniors to graduation, but brings in the top-ranked recruiting class for the 2018-2019 season. The incoming class includes Sam Riffice and Lukas Greif, the No. 2 and No. 6 ranked recruits in the country, respectively.
Florida will play 10 home matches this year, including the ITA Kickoff Weekend. The Gators will also host the 2019 SEC Tournament. Seven 2018 NCAA qualifiers, including defending champions Wake Forest and SEC contenders Mississippi State and Texas A&M, will make their way to Linder Stadium at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex.
The Gators open the 2019 spring dual season with the ITA Kickoff Weekend in Gainesville. Florida will face William and Mary on Jan. 26, followed by a match against either Louisville or FAU on Jan. 27.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
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The Gators, who finished 19-10 overall and 9-3 in SEC play to secure a third-place finish last season, totaled 152 points and were picked to win the SEC title.
Florida garnered just four points more than second-place Mississippi State. Texas A&M, the defending SEC champion, earned the No. 4 ranking.
The Gators return the nucleus of last years' team, including four-time All-American Alfredo Perez, two-time All-American Johannes Ingildsen and one-time All-Americans McClain Kessler and Duarte Vale. Sophomore Oliver Crawford, who was named the 2018 SEC Freshman of the Year and the 2018 ITA Southeast Region Rookie of the Year, will captain this Gators' squad.
UF lost three seniors to graduation, but brings in the top-ranked recruiting class for the 2018-2019 season. The incoming class includes Sam Riffice and Lukas Greif, the No. 2 and No. 6 ranked recruits in the country, respectively.
Florida will play 10 home matches this year, including the ITA Kickoff Weekend. The Gators will also host the 2019 SEC Tournament. Seven 2018 NCAA qualifiers, including defending champions Wake Forest and SEC contenders Mississippi State and Texas A&M, will make their way to Linder Stadium at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex.
The Gators open the 2019 spring dual season with the ITA Kickoff Weekend in Gainesville. Florida will face William and Mary on Jan. 26, followed by a match against either Louisville or FAU on Jan. 27.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Place | School | Points |
| 1. | Florida | 152 |
| 2. | Mississippi State | 148 |
| 3. | Georgia | 129 |
| 4. | Texas A&M | 121 |
| 5. | Alabama | 104 |
| 6. | Tennessee | 100 |
| 7. | South Carolina | 80 |
| 8. | Vanderbilt | 61 |
| 9. | Ole Miss | 55 |
| 10. | Kentucky | 46 |
| 11. | Arkansas | 42 |
| 12. | LSU | 36 |
| 13. | Auburn | 14 |
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