FOREST, Va. --- Washington and Lee University collected 11 first place votes on the way to 121 total points to top the 2014 ODAC Women's Tennis Preseason Poll.  Roanoke College holds down the second spot after receiving 98 tallies, and Bridgewater College slots third with 90 points and the remaining top nod in the annual survey of the league's head coaches.

Two ODAC squads enter the 2014 spring campaign ranked in the ITA South Atlantic Region.  Washington and Lee holds down the sixth position, while also attaining a #22 national ranking.  Roanoke is slotted 19th in the regional poll.  After placing second at the ITA Small College Championships in the fall, Meighan enters the spring ranked #2 in the region, while Buell sits in the 17th position.  The doubles team of Kirkland and Meighan opens as the top-ranked tandem, while Buell and Chelsea Mixson hold down the 10th position.

Washington and Lee (19-8 overall, 11-0 in the ODAC last spring) welcomes back six all-conference standouts, each from the All-ODAC First Team.  Meighan (12-3 overall, 12-3 at #1), Buell (11-3, 9-3 at #2), Kirkland (7-1, 5-1 at #3) and Mixson (9-5, 3-4 at #6) earned recognition as singles players (#1, #2, #3 and #6, respectively).  Kirkland and Meighan (12-3, 9-3 at #1), Buell and Cameron Dorsey (8-1, 7-1 at #2), and captains Claire Cahill and Mixson (7-5, 2-5 at #3) formed the first team doubles honorees at each of the three ladder positions, sequentially.  Meighan won the ITA Southeast Regional singles title this fall, while she and Kirkland combined to win the doubles crown.

Roanoke's (14-4, 10-1) new coach, Daniel Ragsdale, welcomes back several all-conference returners, including first team #1 singles player Jennifer Antoszyk (7-1, 7-1 at #1) this season.  She also claimed a spot on the All-ODAC Second Team as one part of RC's #1 doubles team (4-4, 4-4 at #1).  Antoszyk is joined on the second team by #4 and #5 singles players Briell Smith (11-3, 4-2 at #4) and Kristen McDowell (10-2, 2-1 at #5).  McDowell and fellow returnee Brianna Carroll (6-3, 6-3 at #3) secured All-ODAC Third Team accolades at #3 doubles.  Kaitlyn Diskerud (9-4, 4-2 at #6) also earned third team laurels at #6 singles.

The Roanoke College women's tennis program is coming off of one of its best seasons in program history.  The Maroons set single season records in both overall wins (14) and ODAC victories (10). Roanoke also reached its first ODAC Championship game in school history, defeating Hollins 5-3 to reach the title match.  The Maroons posted a 10-0 record at the Elizabeth Campus Courts, the squad's home courts.

Roanoke begins its season against #12 regionally ranked Christopher Newport University on February 15^th.  On the same day, the Maroons will play against #9 ranked Methodist Unviersity, playing top teams in Roanoke's opening contests.  On February 16^th, the Maroons will take on #5 ranked University of Mary Washington as well.  On February 22^nd, Roanoke hosts its home opener against Ferrum and Southern Virginia.

The 2014 women's tennis season begins on Saturday, February 15.  For more information on ODAC women's tennis, visit any of the participating schools' websites or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter.

2014 ODAC WOMEN'S TENNIS PRESEASON POLL
(#) Denotes first place votes

1. Washington and Lee (11)	121 pts.
2. Roanoke	98 pts.
3. Bridgewater (1)	90 pts.
4. Virginia Wesleyan	82 pts.
5. Randolph-Macon	77 pts.
6. Randolph	63 pts.
7. Guilford	57 pts.
7. Sweet Briar	57 pts.
9. Hollins	56 pts.
10. Emory & Henry	47 pts.
11. Shenandoah	31 pts.
12. Lynchburg	13 pts.