LANCASTER, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's tennis team was projected to finish seventh in the Centennial Conference preseason poll released this morning.

Johns Hopkins, which has won the last nine CC championships, was a unanimous favorite to add a tenth straight crown. The Blue Jays received ten first-place votes for a total of 100 points.

Washington College, last season's runner-up, was predicted to finish in the same spot with 85 points, while Franklin & Marshall was third with 81 points despite receiving the other first-place vote. The Diplomats were succeeded in the poll by Haverford (69), Swarthmore (65), Muhlenberg (56), Ursinus (49), Dickinson (42), Gettysburg (26), McDaniel (15), and Bryn Mawr (15).

The Bears are a year removed from a special season in which they won their final two matches – and got some help elsewhere – to qualify for the Centennial Conference playoffs for the first time in school history. Ursinus finished 14-7 and 5-5 in league matches, establishing a new program record for overall victories and earning its first-ever regional ranking.

Ursinus returns four of its top six singles players from last season, led by sophomore Ashley Nguyen, who took over the top spot as a rookie and was named an honorable mention all-conference selection after posting a 9-10 record in the first singles flight. Senior captain BreAnna Bashaw was 13-4 (7-3 CC) at number two singles, while sophomore Aileen Bevard finished 13-3 (8-2 CC) at number five and classmate Ariel Danziger notched a 12-3 mark (6-3 CC) out of the sixth spot. Bevard and Nguyen compiled a winning record at number one doubles (11-9).

Bashaw will be joined as team captain by senior Stephanie-Jane Seabra and junior Christine Palazzolo.

The Bears return to the courts on Monday, March 7 against Northwestern (Minn.), part of their Spring Break trip to Orlando.

2016 Centennial Conference Preseason Poll