Courtesy of Newberry College Athletics
ROCK HILL — The Newberry College men’s tennis team was tabbed eighth in the South Atlantic Conference Preseason Poll. Sophomore Mateo Bivol was the team’s sole preseason All-Conference selection as he was named to the first team.
Tusculum topped the poll with 130 points. The Pioneers also received five first-place votes, tied for the most of any team. The team that tied Tusculum for first-place votes, Anderson, came in tied with Wingate for second in the poll with 128 points. The Bulldogs received three first-place votes.
Carson-Newman, Lenoir-Rhyne and Lincoln Memorial occupied spots four through six. Limestone was the final team ranked ahead of Newberry, coming in seventh. Behind the Wolves in eighth sits Catawba at ninth, Coker at 10th and Mars Hills at 11th. UVA Wise and Emory & Henry round out the poll.
Bivol was the team’s sole representative on the preseason All-Conference teams as he earned first-team honors. Last season, Bivol posted a 19-4 record including a 9-2 record in conference. He was the one for all 23 matches in which he played in 2022.
The Wolves open the season Feb. 3 at the Florence Invitational in Florence.