NEW ORLEANS -- Led by sensational sophomore Nour Abbes, Xavier University of Louisiana placed seven Thursday in the first Intercollegiate Tennis Association National NAIA Rankings of the 2014-15 season.Abbes is No. 1 in women's singles after winning the NAIA division of the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships in October and finishing second in the "Super Bowl" playoff. Abbes is seventh in doubles with teammate Carmen Nelson. Abbes and Nelson were South Regional runner-up in September.
This is the first time the Gold Nuggets have held the top spot in a USTA/ITA player ranking since Kourtney Howell and Brion Flowers were No. 1 in doubles on April 17, 2013. Flowers is 32nd on the new singles list.
For the second time in XU men's history and the first time since 2011, the Gold Rush have three nationally ranked singles players in November. Kyle Montrel is 13th, Nikita Soifer is 47th, and Tushar Mandlekar is 48th.
Mandlekar is 21st in doubles with Kevin Chaouat.
In the women's South Region rankings, Abbes is first, and Flowers is 14th. Abbes and Nelson are third in doubles.
In the South Region men's rankings, Montrel is sixth, Soifer is 15th, and Mandlekar is 16th. The doubles team of Chaouat and Mandlekar is sixth.
Player rankings in the spring will be announced March 11, April 15 and May 27. The NAIA's preseason team rankings will be revealed Jan. 28, followed by the first regular-season polls Feb. 18.
Xavier will resume competition with dual matches during the final week of January. The schedule will be announced soon. Abbes will enter the spring semester with a 30-1 singles record in her XU career.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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