Devils Picked Fourth in CACC Pre-Season Poll

New Haven, Conn. (February 10, 2012) - The University of the Sciences men's tennis team has been picked to finish fourth in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) pre-season poll which was released today. The league's seven head coaches conducted the voting.

Concordia College for the third straight year has been picked unaminously to win the 2012 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Men's Tennis Regular-Season Championship.  Since joining the conference during the 2009-10 season, The Clippers have yet to lose a match going 18-0 in conference play and a 51-7 overall. The Clippers finished the season in the NCAA Semi-Finals against Barry losing 5-2.

Philadelphia University was selected second with 38 points after joining USciences and Concordia in the NCAA Regional last season.  Chestnut Hill was selected third with 35 points.

The Devils hold onto the fourth spot with 31 points.  Bloomfield College (18 pts.); Post University (16), and Caldwell College (6) round out the poll.

The Devils three starters and nine players from last year's squad that lost in the CACC semi-finals,  led by all-CACC players David Kazakevich (2nd Team) and Alvaro Vargas (honorable mention).  Vargas played the majority of his matches last season at #1 singles an 8-5 record.  Kazakevich played at mostly at #2 singles and produced a record of 9-4.  Senior Bill Fine returns as does juniorsJoshua Garcia and Paul Bedway.  Fine compiled a 6-9 singles mark while Garcia was 5-3.  Bedway appeared in four singles matches (3-1) but was primarily used as a doubles player recording a 6-2 on the season.

Key newcomers to the squad will be Steven Galerkin and Cameron Carlock.  Galerkin compiled a 3-0 record over the fall while playing at the #3 singles slot.  Carlock appeared in one match losing at #6 singles in the fall.

The Devils were ranked eighth in the East Region when the 2011-2012 pre-season ITA rankings came out in November of 2011.  Vargas was ranked 17th in the region amongst singles players and along with Kazakevich was ranked as the #8 doubles team in the region.

                      School              2011            CACC
                                              Record         Record        Points

1.                   Concordia (7)    25-3              6-0               49
2.                   Philadelphia      18-7              5-1               38
3.                   Chestnut Hill      9-13             3-3               35
4.                   USciences          9-8               4-2               31
5.                   Bloomfield          3-8               2-4               18
6.                   Post                   4-10             1-5               16
7.                   Caldwell             0-11             0-6               6

( ) - First Place Votes