University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels ranked 17th in latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association Poll
February 23, 2006 | Men's Tennis
Feb. 23, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Propelled by wins over No. 12 South Carolina and No. 20 Virginia Commonwealth, the University of North Carolina men's tennis team vaulted 13 spots in the latest Fila Intercollegiate Tennis Association Polls released Feb. 22. The Tar Heels, previously ranked 30th, now stand at 17th in the nation. The ranking is the highest for Tar Heels since Oct. 10, 2004 when they also held the 17th ranking.
Carolina, 11-0 on the year, has posted four victories over ranked teams defeating No. 51 Northwestern, No. 26 Notre Dame, No. 12 South Carolina and No. 20 Virginia Commonwealth. The Atlantic Coast Conference boasts an impressive six teams ranked in the top 22 in the latest rankings including five teams ranked between No. 15 and No. 22. Duke holds the top spot in the ACC at No. 5. Nos. 15-18 are manned by ACC teams with Wake Forest at No. 15 followed by Virginia, North Carolina and Miami. Clemson occupies the 22nd spot.
The Tar Heels' success has been due in large part to impressive play throughout the lineup. Senior Raian Luchici, a native of Romania, is ranked 9th in the latest ITA individual rankings has teamed with fellow senior Brad Pomeroy for the No. 3 doubles ranking. Luchici and Pomeroy stand at 15-4 on the year.
The doubles pairing of junior Sebastian Guejman and senior Derek Porter have also seen success this season. The tandem is undefeated in dual-match play with an 8-0 record.
The Tar Heels are off this weekend, but return to action Saturday, March 4 taking on Charlotte and Navy in a doubleheader held at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center in Chapel Hill. Action begins at 11 a.m. with the match against Charlotte. The match against Navy will follow at 4 p.m.
Head coach Sam Paul looks to earn his 200th victory at Carolina in the doubleheader. With 199 victories, Paul has a chance to reach the milestone against Charlotte and coach Jim Boykin. Boykin formerly coached Paul when Paul was a student-athlete at Anderson, S.C. in the early 1980s.
With his 200th victory at Carolina, Paul will become only the eighth coach in ACC history to have 200 or more wins with one school. Of those eight coaches, three will have coached at North Carolina. Don Skakle earned 418 victories at Carolina from 1959-80 and Allen Morris posted 244 victories from 1981-93. Paul began his time as head coach of Carolina in 1994.
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