INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The 2020 Horizon League Preseason Women's Tennis Poll was released Friday afternoon (January 10), with Cleveland State tabbed to finish second in the competitive nine-team field.
This marks the eighth year that the Horizon League has released a preseason tennis poll, with the Vikings selected to finish second for the third time.
The preseason poll is voted on by each head coach.
Cleveland State returns seven letterwinners from last year's squad that claimed a share of the Horizon League Regular Season title, including junior Klara Mrcela who earned Second Team All-League honors last year. Mrcela is joined by classmate Gaby Schoenberg, along with seniors Kateryna Avram, Blanche Lenoan and Sian Payne, and sophomores Lauren Longo and Lara Prosenjak.
Last year, this group led the Vikings to a 16-9 overall record, including an 8-1 mark in regular season league matchups. Cleveland State's share of the 2019 regular season #HLWTEN championship marked the team's fourth regular season title in program history.
The Vikings are under the direction of second year head coach Frank Polito, who is entering his eighth season overall at Cleveland State.
Polito and the Vikings will open the 2020 spring season on Monday, January 20, traveling to Western Michigan for a 1:00 p.m. contest.
2020 Horizon League Women's Tennis Preseason Poll
1. UIC, 79 (7)
2. Cleveland State, 68
3. Oakland, 66 (2)
4. Youngstown State, 54
5. Milwaukee, 42
6. Northern Kentucky, 34
7. Wright State, 26
8. IUPUI, 22
9. Green Bay, 14