THE FLATS – Boasting two doubles teams in the top 10, Georgia Tech women’s tennis was represented on Tuesday in the preseason ITA Collegiate Tennis National Rankings. The Yellow Jackets additionally placed three in singles rankings.
After finishing last season earning ITA All-American honors, Georgia Tech’s doubles team of Carol Lee and Kate Sharabura claim the No. 1 doubles ranking in the country in the preseason poll. Lee and Sharabura went 22-6 overall last season and 17-3 in dual match play, mainly from the No. 1 position. The Jackets earned the No. 4 seed in the NCAA Doubles Championship and finished the season ranked No. 5 nationally.
Georgia Tech is the only program to have two doubles teams ranked in the top 10 as Ava Hrastar and Kylie Bilchev came in at No. 9 in the preseason rankings. The pair combined to post a 21-10 overall record last season and went 12-8 in dual play. Hrastar and Bilchev earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships and defeated two nationally ranked doubles teams to reach the quarterfinals, earning All-America status.
In the preseason singles rankings, Georgia Tech placed three Yellow Jackets in Lee (No. 16), Bilchev (No. 73) and Hrastar (No. 118). Leading Tech from the No. 1 position, Lee posted a 25-8 overall record and 18-5 dual ledger last season. The all-ACC first team selection climbed as high as No. 22 in the ITA national rankings and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Singles Championships.
In her inaugural collegiate campaign, Bilchev went 17-11 overall in singles, including an 8-4 mark from the No. 3 spot. She picked up all-ACC third team recognition after spending the entire dual season ranked in the top 100. Rounding out Tech’s singles individuals, Hrastar produced a 19-14 record, including an 8-5 ACC mark. The Jacket joined Bilchev on the all-ACC third team.
Georgia Tech opens the fall slate at the Debbie Southern Furman Fall Classic, Sept. 16-18.
ITA PRESEASON RANKINGS
Singles
No. 16 – Carol Lee
No. 73 – Kylie Bilchev
No. 118 – Ava Hrastar
Doubles
No. 1 – Carol Lee/Kate Sharabura
No. 9 – Ava Hrastar/Kylie Bilchev
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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