SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The eight-time reigning Summit League regular-season champion Denver was selected to take the 2023 regular-season crown, picking up 49 points and seven first-place votes in the preseason coaches’ poll released Tuesday by league officials.
The Pioneers have earned both the regular season and tournament titles in each of their first eight seasons with the league. Following Denver was South Dakota tallying 43 points, who took the final first-place vote, followed by North Dakota (37) for the third position. Omaha earned 27 points to take fourth while Oral Roberts tallied 25 points to take the fifth-place spot. Kansas City (23), St. Thomas (13) and Western Illinois (7) rounded out the 2023 poll.
2023 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN’S TENNIS PRESEASON POLL
|
Team |
Score (1st place votes) |
| 1. |
Denver |
49 (7) |
| 2. |
South Dakota |
43 (1) |
| 3. |
North Dakota |
37 |
| 4. |
Omaha |
27 |
| 5. |
Oral Roberts |
25 |
| 6. |
Kansas City |
23 |
| 7. |
St. Thomas |
13 |
| 8. |
Western Illinois |
7 |
WOMEN’S TENNIS PRESEASON ATHLETES TO WATCH LIST
Taylor Melville, Denver
Gr. | Duluth, Ga.
- Named back-to-back All-Summit League First Team honoree
- Ranked No. 56 in the final 2022 Fall ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings sponsored by Tennis-Point
- Won the Mountain Region Fall ITA tournament and Bedford Cup singles crown
- Went 8-7 in singles play, including a 6-1 mark in the top two spots last season
- Tallied a 7-6 record in doubles play, including 4-0 league play
Bea Havlickova, South Dakota
So. | Louny, Czech Republic
- Went 5-2 in singles during league action, playing primarily out of the No. 3 spot
- Had a 12-7 singles mark during the dual season and was 17-12 overall
- Teamed up with Natka Kmoskova and went 4-2 in doubles during league play at the No. 2 spot while the duo was 10-6 during the dual season and went 15-13 overall on the season
Nore Heinitz, North Dakota
So. | Duluth, Minn.
- Finished tied for second on the team with 13 singles victories, going 13-9 from the No. 5 spot
- Tallied a 4-3 mark during league action, winning her final three matches of the season
- Posted a 10-10 mark in doubles competition
Jessica Aragon, Omaha
Gr. | Plano, Texas
- Spent four seasons with Nebraska, going 22-21 in singles and 27-18 in doubles
- Won seven matches this fall
- Former five-star recruit and top-45 player in the country
Sasha Lebedeva, Oral Roberts
Sr. | Mogilev, Belarus
- Went 6-11 in singles play at the No. 5 position and 2-0 at the No. 1 spot
- Posted a 2-4 ledger in league action
- Owned an 8-8 doubles record, including a 2-4 mark in league play
Michela Xibilia, Kansas City
Gr. | Palermo, Italy
- Completed 18 singles matches playing from the No. 1-3 positions, putting together a 10-7 record
- Played in 19 doubles matches from all three positions, winning seven doubles decisions
- Owned a 3-4 singles ledger in league competition
Marthe Degeorges, St. Thomas
So. | Viviers-du-lac, France
- Transfer from New Orleans where she posted a 5-5 dual singles record last season, including 3-0 at the No. 4 spot
- Registered a 7-2 mark in doubles play, all at the No. 1 spot
- Recorded a 6-3 mark during the 2022 Fall campaign
Paige Grice, Western Illinois
So. | Kamloops, British Columbia
- Led the team last season with six singles wins, going 6-9 overall
- Had a trio of doubles wins, capturing two of those victories with Agatha Carbonell
- Captured a doubles win with teammate Ashley Jacobson
Note: Athletes to Watch nominated by the league's head coaches
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