NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Vanderbilt men’s and women’s tennis teams both earned Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Preseason National Rankings, which were released on Monday. The men’s team enters the poll ranked No. 29, while the women come in at No. 8. Both teams will have their hands full this season, as they take on a combined 33 teams that are ranked in the top 75 of their respective polls.

The women’s team got their 2003 season off to a strong start, as it defeated Michigan State and Louisville on Sunday - both by scores of 7-0. Head coach Geoff Macdonald’s squad is one of three Southeastern Conference schools to be ranked in the top 10. Florida enters the rankings at No. 2, while Georgia stands at No. 3. The Gators received six first-place votes, while the Bulldogs picked up four. Defending national champion Stanford received 20 first-place as it is the top-ranked team.

The Commodores will take on 19 teams that are ranked in the preseason top 75. Along with Florida and Georgia, Vanderbilt will take on Duke, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia Tech and South Carolina - all of which are ranked in the top 20. Macdonald’s team is coming off a solid 2002 campaign where his team won a school record 27 matches.

The women’s team returns to action at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday against in-state rival Middle Tennessee State at the Brownlee O. Currey Tennis Center.

Led by head coach Ken Flach, the men’s team earned its highest preseason ranking in the program’s history. The Commodores road to an SEC title will be extremely difficult once again, as every team in the conference is ranked in the ITA top 32. Florida, Georiga, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn and Alabama are all ranked in the top 20. Vanderbilt will take on five of these six schools at the friendly confines of the Brownlee O. Currey Tennis Center.

Flach’s squad is going to be a dangerous threat to all opponents this season, as he returns everyone from last year’s squad including juniors Bobby Reynolds and Chad Harris, who are both coming off stellar fall seasons. In the recent ITA rankings, Reynolds and Harris are ranked eighth and 14th, respectively.

The Commodores kick off their 2003 season this weekend at the SEC Indoor Championship in Atlanta, Ga. Vanderbilt’s first dual match is at 11 a.m. Saturday, January, 25, against Tennessee-Martin and Tennessee-Chattanooga in Nashville.

Women’s Opponents in the ITA Preseason Top 75

2. Florida
3. Georgia
4. Duke
11. Tennessee
14. Kentucky
T17. Georgia Tech
T17. South Carolina
32. Auburn
36. Mississippi
38. Alabama
43. Baylor
51. Pennsylvania
54. Virginia
56. Tulsa
57. Iowa
59. Louisiana State
62. Middle Tennessee State
64. Michigan State
T75. Arkansas

Men’s Opponents in the ITA Preseason Top 75

5. Florida
6. Georgia
8. Mississippi
9. Kentucky
14. Tennessee
15. Auburn
17. Alabama
22. South Carolina
24. Ohio State
25. Mississippi State
28. Arkansas
32. Louisiana State
37. Middle Tennessee State
45. Tulsa
71. Furman