Hurricanes Crack the Top 10 in the Latest Fila/ITA Collegiate Rankings
April 11, 2006
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami men’s tennis team is ranked 10th in the latest Fila/ITA Collegiate Rankings released today marking UM’s first appearance in the top 10 since the 1994 season.
Coming off a week that saw Miami post two impressive road victories, including a 4-3 decision over then No. 8 Virginia, who hadn’t lost an ACC match in two seasons, second year head coach Mario Rincon and the Hurricanes are 15-3 overall and 7-2 in league play this spring.
The Hurricanes climbed four spots from No. 14 in last week’s poll to the highest ranking a UM team has earned since the 1993-94 squad sat at ninth place. That 1993-94 team would go on to finish with an overall record of 20-5 while claiming the 2004 BIG EAST Tournament Title and making an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Leading the UM contingent is junior Luigi D’Agord who is currently ranked No. 5 nationally in singles behind an overall record of 29-4 and a perfect unbeaten mark of 9-0 in ACC matches.
D’Agord’s 29 victories marks the seventh-highest single season total in UM history.
With an overall record of 20-6 and an ACC mark of 8-0, senior John Hoyes joins D’Agord as the only two players in the ACC to boast undefeated records in league play among players participating in more than one match.
Also of note is senior Eric Hechtman who continues to move up in the UM record books. Earlier this season, he became Miami’s all-time leader in career doubles victories – he now has 83 career wins – and his 21 doubles victories this seasons marks the eighth-highest single season total in UM history.
Equally impressive in singles, Hechtman currently sits at seventh place all-time in career victories with a career record of 80-41.
The ACC leads all conferences in total teams ranked in the top 25 with six league schools listed.
The Hurricanes wrap up the regular season this weekend, hosting No. 26 Wake Forest Friday at 1 p.m. and No. 34 NC State Sunday at 2 p.m. Four UM seniors, including Hechtman, Hoyes, Krebs and P.J. Passalacqua will be honored Sunday in their final regular season home matches at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center. Admission to both matches is free.
