HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College men's tennis teams will open the 2023 spring season ranked 29th overall in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) preseason Top 40 Coaches Poll, the organization announced in a release on Tuesday. In addition to the national ranking, Haverford also earned the seventh overall spot in the Atlantic South Region to begin the new campaign.
The men's tennis program was one of three Centennial Conference teams to earn a national ranking in Tuesday's unveiling. Johns Hopkins paced the CC group, earning the 11th ranking in the national poll, while Swarthmore finished one spot above the Fords, at No. 28, after last season's Centennial semifinal victory over the Fords.
Men's Tennis earned the ranking off the heels of a historic 2021-22 season. First-year Head Coach Eric Spangler paced Haverford to its highest benchmark national ranking in program history, as the Fords entered the Centennial Conference tournament as the No. 28 team in the nation. Spangler took home the Centennial Conference Coach of the Year award upon conclusion of the season.
The Fords also took down No. 12 Johns Hopkins earlier in that historic season, handing the Blue Jays their first loss in Centennial Conference play in exactly six years, snapping Johns Hopkins' 41-match win streak in CC play with the triumph. The Fords finished with a 13-6 overall record and a 7-1 mark in Centennial Conference play.
Haverford returns 10 players from last season, and adds newcomers Aiden Kim and Niki Lavu to the fold with a solid fall of experience under their belts as the Fords impressed in tournament play.
The ITA DIII Coaches Poll is voted on by the ITA National Ranking Committee. The National Ranking Committee is made up of the four ITA Region Chairs, as well as one National Chair.
Haverford will open up the spring season in earnest on Friday, February 24 at home against NYU. The matchup with the Violets will take place indoors at Alumni Field House at approximately 5 p.m.