Gold Rush in preseason top 10 for 3rd consecutive year

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana is tied for sixth with Lindsey Wilson in the NAIA Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The NAIA announced rankings Tuesday.

The Gold Rush are in the preseason top 10 for the third consecutive year. It's the highest-ever preseason ranking for the XU men, who are in the top 10 for the 21st consecutive time. They ranked a program-record fifth in the 2013 postseason.

Coupled with the Gold Nuggets' No. 3 ranking, it makes Xavier one of three schools -- Auburn Montgomery and Lindsey Wilson are the others -- with both tennis teams in the 2014 preseason top six.

Xavier is in the top 25 for the 51st consecutive time. That streak began April 4, 2007.

The Gold Rush -- 15-8 in 2013 and an NAIA National Championship quarterfinalist each of the past two years -- will open the season at 3 p.m. Friday at NCAA Division I member Nicholls State. Xavier's schedule includes eight dual matches against the NAIA preseason top 25, including No. 2 Auburn Montgomery, No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett, Lindsey Wilson and No. 8 Cumberland.

The home opener for both Xavier teams will be Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. against city rival Loyola at the XU Tennis Center. Those duals were pushed back from Saturday.

Defending champion Embry-Riddle (Fla.) was unanimously chosen No. 1. It's the second consecutive year that the Eagles top the preseason rankings.

The top 25:

1. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
2. Auburn Montgomery
3. Vanguard
4. Westmont
5. Georgia Gwinnett
6. (tie) Xavier
6. (tie) Lindsey Wilson
8. Cumberland
9. Aquinas
10. Bethany
11. Bethel (Tenn.)
12. Concordia (Calif.)
13. Belhaven
14. Graceland
15. William Carey
16. Northwestern Ohio
17. Northwood (Fla.)
18. Oklahoma Baptist
19. Warner
20. Lewis-Clark State
21. Pikeville
22. Olivet Nazarene
23. Cambellsville
24. Davenport
25. McPherson

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/xulagold