WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University men's tennis team has earned its highest ranking in Division III since 1989, as the Judges are ranked #10 in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association/Oracle national poll.
In head coach Ben Lamanna's 14th season, the Judges were ranked 21st in the ITA preseason poll, marking the fifth-straight year they were among the top 30 in Division III to start the season. As part of their February break trip, the Judges headed to California, where they met three ranked opponents as part of their four matches. Brandeis opened with a 5-4 win over 29th-ranked CalTech, then got a big boost with another 5-4 win over 11th-ranked Pomona-Pitzer. The Judges trailed, 2-1, after doubles play, but rallied to win four of six singles matches in straight sets and pull the upset. After an 8-1 win over unranked Redlands, Brandeis suffered its first loss of the season at sixth-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 8-1.
The Judges are led by the doubles team of junior David Aizenberg of Highland Park, Illinois, and sophomore Anupreeth Coramutla of Monroe Township, New Jersey. The tandem were selected to participate in last year's NCAA Division III Doubles tournament, but were unable to compete due to illness. They are 2-1 so far this year at #1 doubles after Aizenberg spent the fall semester abroad. The two also have combined for four singles wins as well.
Rookies Jeffrey Chen of Northfield, Illinois, and Adam Tzeng of Eagle, Idaho, have been an outstanding addition to the squad, posting a 4-0 record, with three wins at #2 doubles and stepping into the top spot for a win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Chen is also 3-1 in singles play, mostly at #5.
Brandeis returns to action this weekend with a match at Division I Bryant University on Saturday afternoon before traveling to take on #23 Bates on Sunday. The remainder of the team's schedule features five more ranked opponents, plus the challenging University Athletic Association tournament, as Lamanna and the Judges look to return to the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time since 1989, when they were ranked #9 in Division III.
Click here for the full ITA/Oracle Division III Men's Tennis Poll.
For more information on Brandeis men's tennis, visit our web site at http://www.brandeisjudges.com/sports/mten/index.