DC men’s tennis chosen to finish seventh in HCAC

GREENWOOD, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference preseason polls are in for men's tennis and four Yellow Jackets were named to this season's Players to Watch list, along with the Purple and Gold taking seventh in the polls with 26 points.

Leading the way for Defiance during the 2014 campaign will be a pair of seniors in Mike Ross (Bryan, Ohio / Bryan) and Cord Speelman (Bryan, Ohio / Bryan).

Last season Speelman earned Honorable Mention All-HCAC, after he notched the best record of any player on the team with a 9-9 mark playing second and third singles. He then team up with junior Ryan Nelson (Oregon, Ohio / Clay) in first doubles and put together a 7-12 record. This is the third time Speelman has been named to the HCAC Watch List.

Fellow senior Ross was also selected Honorable Mention All-HCAC for his efforts on the court last year. The Bryan High product finished the 2013 season 5-8 overall with all his matches coming in first singles. For doubles action, Ross went 5-7 over first and second doubles competition. This will also be the third time Ross has been chosen for the HCAC Watch List.

The third Yellow Jacket to make the list was Nelson. The junior from Oregon, Ohio was a HCAC Preseason Player to Watch in 2013 and made the HCAC All-Sportsmanship Team as a freshman. Last season, Nelson accumulated a 6-14 record over first (2-5) and second (4-9) singles. He went 7-13 overall in doubles action.

Rounding out the HCAC Watch List is freshman James Demeo (Oregon, Ohio / Clay). Demeo will be looking to make his mark early by competing with the upperclassmen for action in the top singles and doubles spots.

For the HCAC poll, the Earlham Quakers were a unanimous top selection. EC received all nine first place votes to total 81 for the poll, as the Quakers will shoot for their fourth-straight Heartland Conference title. Coming in second was Transylvania with 72 points and rounding out the top-three was Rose-Hulman with 59.

The Purple and Gold men's tennis team will begin its 2014 campaign at home on Saturday, February 22 against St. Francis. Action in the match will begin at 4:30 p.m.