NORFOLK, Va. (Jan. 20, 2014)-The Morgan State women's tennis team was picked to win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Northern Division crown as announced on Friday. All preseason poll honors were voted on by the conference's head tennis coaches and sports information directors.
"It's a nice accomplishment for our program to be voted preseason No. 1 in our division," said Morgan State head coach Sean Holcomb-Jones. "It shows that the program is progressing and gaining respect within the conference. But titles aren't won in the preseason and we need to work hard and stay healthy to bring home a conference title home to Morgan State."
Last season the Lady Bears won their first MEAC divisional title in over five years after posting an undefeated conference record (5-0) and going 12-14 overall. Morgan State advanced to the MEAC title match, eventually falling 4-3 to South Carolina State, which captured its ninth straight championship.
Ekaterina Iakovleva, who was a first-team All-MEAC selection last season, ended the season with a remarkable 21-2 record at No.1 singles, including a 20-match winning streak after defeating the MEAC Player of the Year, Maria Cracium of South Carolina State in the title match. Iakovleva would receive All-MEAC championship team honors at No. 1 singles, as well as No. 2 doubles with teammate Margarita Belyakova.
Howard is predicted to finish second, followed by Delaware State in third and Hampton in fourth. Coppin State and Maryland Eastern Shore round out the northern division.
The reigning MEAC champion, the South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs, were selected to capture the 2014 crown in the southern division. The Lady Bulldogs were 6-0 in MEAC play and 17-4 overall last season, while capturing their ninth consecutive MEAC championship.
Bethune-Cookman was chosen to finish second in the southern division, followed by North Carolina Central and Florida A&M. Norfolk State, North Carolina A&T and Savannah State rounded out the southern division predictions.
The 2014 MEAC men's and women's tennis championships begin April 17-19 at the Cayce Tennis & Fitness Center in Cayce, S.C.
The MEAC Media Relations Department contributed to this release.
