Skillman, N.J.----The Wingate University women’s tennis is the number 32 team in the Campbell/ITA NCAA Division II national rankings, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association announces this week. The Bulldogs are the number seven team in the Southeast Region rankings.

The Wingate women are 15-1 overall and 6-0 in the SAC. The Bulldogs have won 13 matches in a row. In the previous national ranking, Wingate was listed as the number 39 team.

The Bulldogs are 2-1 this season against nationally-ranked teams. Wingate defeated number 29 Augusta State 5-4 Feb. 2 at Augusta. The Bulldogs dropped a 6-3 home decision to number 30 Georgia College on Feb. 13. On March 6, Wingate defeated number 34 Charleston (W.Va.) 7-2 in Hilton Head, S.C. Augusta State is listed at the number 35 position in the most recent national rankings, while Georgia College occupies the number 26 spot.

Wingate freshman Olivia Poole (Boca Raton, Fla.) is 16-0 overall in singles this season. She has played 16 matches at the number four singles position. Poole is one of four Bulldogs to earn SAC Player of the Week honors this season.

The Bulldogs’ six singles players each have double-digit victories. Bulldog sophomore Helen Goreski (Oakville, Ontario) is 14-1 overall, with a perfect 11-0 slate at the number six singles flight. Both sophomore Kelli Ferguson (Concord, N.C.) and freshman Morgan Winston (Lawrenceville, Ga.) are 13-3 overall in singles this season. Winston is 12-1 at the number three singles flight.

In doubles, the top team is freshman Ali Evers (Roswell, Ga.) and junior Samantha Alschlager (Indian Trail, N.C.). The duo is 14-1 overall at the number two doubles flight. Both Alschlager and senior Kara Stasikelis (Greer, S.C.) were named to the All-SAC team in 2010. Poole and Winston are 13-2 overall, with a 12-2 slate at the number three doubles position.

The Bulldogs return to SAC play this weekend, traveling to Newberry College Saturday for a 1 p.m. start. Wingate’s next home match is Friday, April 15, when the Bulldogs host NAIA powerhouse SCAD Atlanta at 1 p.m.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private comprehensive university with more than 2,300 students on two campuses in Wingate and Matthews, North Carolina. The university offers 32 undergraduate majors, 36 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, physician assistant studies and sports administration and doctorates in pharmacy and education.

Wingate students gain the tools and support they need to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. The campus community offers in-class learning, out-of-class experiences, strong mentors, a competitive yet caring environment and rewarding community service opportunities for a complete educational experience.

Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past four years.

Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 38 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 47 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.

(Wingate University assistant sports information director Hugh Patton contributed information to this article. Patton is a 2006 Wingate graduate with a B.A. degree in Communication Studies.)

Division II Women – National Rankings
Administered by the ITA

TEAM
1. Armstrong Atlantic State
2. BYU Hawaii
3. Lynn
4. Barry
5. Hawaii Pacific
6. Abilene Christian (Texas)
7. West Florida
8. Columbus State
9. Rollins
10. Flagler
11. Florida Southern
12. Clayton State
13. California, Pa.
14. Francis Marion
15. Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
16. Grand Valley State (Mich.)
17. UC San Diego
18. Cameron (Okla.)
19. Cal State Stanislaus
20. Nova Southeastern (Fla.)
21. Northeastern State (Okla.)
22. Concordia (N.Y.)
23. Florida Tech
24. St. Edwards (Texas)
25. Northwood (Mich.)
26. Georgia College
27. Saint Leo
28. Queens (N.Y.)
29. Southern New Hampshire
30. Midwestern State (Texas)
31. Augustana (S.D.)
32. Wingate
33. Tarleton State (Texas)
34. Delta State (Miss.)
35. Augusta State
36. Palm Beach Atlantic
37. Upper Iowa
38. Indiana, Pa.
39. Slippery Rock (Pa.)
40. St. Cloud State (Minn.)
41. Drury (Mo.)
42. Ferris State (Mich.)
43. Incarnate Word (Texas)
44. Wayne State (Mich.)
45. Dallas Baptist
46. Ashland (Ohio)
47. Erskine
48. Sonoma State (Calif.)
49. Academy of Arts (Calif.)
50. Tampa

Division II Women – Southeast Region Rankings
Administered by the ITA

TEAM
1. Armstrong Atlantic State
2. Columbus State
3. Flagler
4. Clayton State
5. Francis Marion
6. Georgia College
7. Wingate
8. Augusta State
9. Erskine
10. Queens (N.C.)
11. Lincoln Memorial
12. Anderson (S.C.)