Jayhawk tennis tabbed for sixth in Big 12 preseason poll

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas women’s tennis team, led by head coach Todd Chapman, was predicted to finish sixth in the 2018 Big 12 Conference standings, as indicated by the league’s head coaches in the preseason poll released Friday.
 
Last season, the Jayhawks (13-11, 4-5 Big 12) finished tied for the sixth-place spot with Oklahoma. The 2017 season also saw Kansas make its second-straight appearance at the NCAA Tournament, marking the first back-to-back years since 1996-99.
 
The 2017 Big 12 Conference champion Texas Tech (79) claimed the first-place spot, followed by Texas (72), Oklahoma State (60), TCU (55) and Baylor (54).
 
The Jayhawks finished 17 points ahead of tied-for-seventh Kansas State and Oklahoma (29), while Iowa State and West Virginia round out the league in ninth tied with 13 votes.
 
Conference coaches place their votes prior to the start of dual-match play to determine their preseason favorite, but cannot vote for their own team in the poll.
 
For the first time in program history, the Jayhawks have four players ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) singles poll at the same time. Anastasia Rychagova is currently the No. 1-ranked player in the nation, also a program best for Kansas, after a 10-2 fall record, including an 8-1 mark against ranked opponents.
 
Janet Koch (90), Despoina Vogasari (94) and Nina Khmelnitckaia (112) complete the ranked singles players. In addition, Rychagova and Khmelnitckaia are ranked as the No. 38 doubles team.
 
Currently five Big 12 teams are ranked in the Oracle/ITA Division I Women’s Preseason Poll with No. 8 Texas Tech, Texas at No. 12, No. 16 Oklahoma State, No. 20 Baylor and TCU grabbing the last spot at No. 25.
 
Kansas will head to Fort Myers, Florida for the FGCU Invitational from January 13-15 at the FGCU Tennis Complex before opening dual play at Michigan January 21.
 
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