Tennis Programs Both Ranked in Top 10

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men's and women's tennis programs have been recognized for their excellence on the court this year by rising in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national rankings this week. The latest poll moved the women's team from seventh to sixth, while the men jumped two spots from 11th to ninth.

This marks the second straight season both teams have been ranked in the top 10 by the ITA, as the men's program achieved its highest ranking last year when it was ranked fifth heading into the NCAA tournament. This year, the team returns to the ninth spot after a critical 5-4 win against then No. 1 Trinity (Texas) and two  9-0 showings against Sewanee and Grove City. The team is 9-6 and ranked second in the Atlantic South Region with matches against Washington and Lee University and Christopher Newport University this upcoming weekend.

Both junior Abhishek Alla (Hyderabad, India/IMG Pendleton School) and senior Christian Heaney-Secord (Westwood, Mass./Westwood) are ranked in the top 10 regionally, with Alla holding the third spot and Heaney-Secord the seventh spot. Joining them in the top 24 is senior Will Duncan (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) at No. 19 and sophomore Kunal Wadwani (Saratoga, Calif./Ballarmine College Prep) at No. 21. In doubles play, Heaney-Secord and Duncan are ranked third regionally with senior Bryce Beisswanger (Los Angeles, Calif./Viewpoint School) and junior Yuvraj Kumar (New Delhi, India/Millfield School) ranked eighth.

For the women, the Tartans are 11-3 with recent wins against No. 8 Pomona-Pitzer, No. 14 Sewanee and Grove City. They've remained in the top 10 for the past three years, with a short drop to 13th in 2013 before rising back to eighth.

The Tartans hold a ranking of third in the Atlantic South Region and have three individuals in the top 25. Sophomore Vanessa Pavia (Thornwood, N.Y./Academy of our Lady of Good Counsel) is ranked third, senior Angela Pratt (Saratoga, Calif./St. Francis) is ranked 10th and junior Nicholle Torres (Weston, Fla./Great Neck South) is ranked 22nd. In doubles, senior Bryn Raschke (Del Mar, Calif./Torrey Pines) and freshman Cori Sidell (Redwood Shores, Calif./Carlmont) are ranked second with Pavia and freshman Stacy Chang (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) ranked 10th.

The women have a tough weekend slate as they'll match up against No. 10 Washington and Lee on the road and No. 3 Williams at a neutral site.