Nuggets earn highest preseason ranking in three years

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana was 10th Tuesday when the NAIA announced its 2018 women's tennis coaches preseason team rankings.

It's the first time since 2015 and the third time overall that the Gold Nuggets are in the preseason top 10. XULA was 19th in the 2017 preseason poll before finishing at 10th in the postseason.

XULA is in the top 25 for the 49th consecutive time. That streak began May 1, 2012. Dating to Feb. 25, 2004, the Gold Nuggets appeared in 94 of the last 104 polls. (The 2005-06 season, when XULA did not compete intercollegiately, is not included.)

The top 16 teams from the 2017 postseason all were in the top 16 Tuesday, though with minor shuffling. Keiser made the biggest climb in that group, moving from fifth to third. Nine of the top 16 teams, including XULA, have the same ranking as they did eight months ago.

Two-time defending NAIA national champion Georgia Gwinnett received all 14 first-place votes. The Grizzlies are No. 1 for the 13th consecutive poll dating to April 26, 2016.

The Gold Nuggets' schedule includes 10 dual matches against teams in the preseason top 25 — two each against No. 6 William Carey and No. 9 LSU-Alexandria, one each against Georgia Gwinnett,

No. 8 San Diego Christian, No. 13 Mobile, No. 14 Cumberlands, No. 15 Arizona Christian and No. 16 SCAD Atlanta. Also scheduled is Westmont, among "others receiving votes" and 30th overall.

XULA is one of the NAIA's top programs. The Gold Nuggets will try to qualify for the national tournament for the seventh consecutive year, the 10th time in 11 years and the 12th time overall.
There will be eight more polls this season, with the next on Feb. 13. From that date rankings will be updated every two weeks through May 7.'

XULA is one of six NAIA schools with women's and men's teams earning top-10 preseason rankings. The others are Georgia Gwinnett, Keiser, Lindsey Wilson, William Carey and William Woods. XULA's men, the Gold Rush, are ranked second.

The Gold Nuggets opened their 2018 season Saturday with a 7-0 loss at NCAA Division I South Alabama. They'll play their home opener at noon Sunday against city rival Loyola at XULA Tennis Center.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records from previous season)
RANK PREVIOUS SCHOOL RECORD POINTS
1 1 Georgia Gwinnett [14] 26-0 374
2 2 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 22-5 357
3 5 Keiser (Fla.) 16-8 343
4 3 William Woods (Mo.) 14-10 339
5 4 SCAD Savannah (Ga.) 13-3 336
6 6 William Carey (Miss.) 21-4 306
7 7 Indiana Wesleyan 37-9 302
8 8 San Diego Christian (Calif.) 15-4 299
9 9 LSU-Alexandria (La.) 19-4 277
10 10 Xavier (La.) 7-14 262
11 12 Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 16-6 246
12 11 Northwestern Ohio 19-7 240
13 13 Mobile (Ala.) 24-5 232
14 14 Cumberlands (Ky.) 16-9 213
15 16 Arizona Christian 17-9 208
16 15 SCAD Atlanta (Ga.) 13-7 204
17 20 Middle Georgia 13-8 167
18 21 Campbellsville (Ky.) 12-12 159
19 19 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 10-12 148
20 22 Georgetown (Ky.) 16-8 138
21 RV Brenau (Ga.) 8-15 133
22 RV Coastal Georgia 11-10 110
23 RV Southwestern (Kan.) 17-5 104
24 24 Tennessee Wesleyan 12-7 79
25 25 St. Thomas (Fla.) 4-10 66
Other Receiving Votes: Cumberland (Tenn.) 59, Huntington (Ind.) 54, Missouri Valley 52, McPherson (Kan.) 49, Westmont (Calif.) 46, Reinhardt (Ga.) 36, Hastings (Neb.) 13, Asbury (Ky.) 11, Marian (Ind.) 10, Southeastern (Fla.) 5, Baker (Kan.) 3

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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