NORFOLK, Va. – Morgan State men’s and women’s tennis teams were predicted to win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) northern division crowns, while South Carolina State men’s and women’s tennis teams were chosen to win the southern division. All preseason honors were voted on by the conference’s head tennis coaches and sports information directors.
On the men’s side, South Carolina State defeated Florida A&M, 4-2, to win the 2013 MEAC Tennis Championship. The title was the sixth straight and 11th overall for the Bulldogs. They finished the 2013 regular season with a 3-1 conference mark and a 16-4 overall record.
The Norfolk State Spartans men’s team, who posted a 3-1 MEAC record, were picked to finish second. Florida A&M was chosen to finish third, followed by Bethune-Cookman at fourth and North Carolina Central at fifth.
Morgan State was selected to win the northern division after posting an undefeated conference record (4-0) and a 5-17 overall mark.
The Hampton Pirates were predicted to finish in second, followed by Coppin State in third. Howard and Maryland Eastern Shore were selected to finish fourth and fifth, respectively.
The reigning MEAC Women’s 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.
Bethune-Cookman was chosen to finish second in the southern division. Last year, the Lady Wildcats recorded a 1-3 mark in MEAC play and finished 13-16 overall. North Carolina Central, Florida A&M, Norfolk State, North Carolina A&T and Savannah State rounded out the southern division preseason predictions.
The Morgan State Lady Bears, who were 5-0 in MEAC play and 12-14 overall last season, won the northern division crown and were selected to finish first this season.
Howard is predicted to finish second, followed by Delaware State in third. Hampton, Coppin State and Maryland Eastern Shore round out the northern division.
The 2014 MEAC Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships begins April 17-19 at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center in Cayce, S.C.
2014 Men’s and Women’s Tennis Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the conference Head Tennis Coaches and Sports Information Directors
(First place votes in parenthesis)
Women’s Predicted Order
|
North Division
|
Points
|
- Morgan State (19)
|
278
|
- Howard (5)
|
235
|
- Delaware State (1)
|
205
|
- Hampton
|
179
|
- Coppin State
|
150
|
- Maryland Eastern Shore
|
128
|
|
South Division
|
Points
|
- South Carolina State (21)
|
288
|
- Bethune-Cookman (3)
|
215
|
- North Carolina Central (1)
|
208
|
- Florida A&M
|
172
|
- Norfolk State
|
160
|
- North Carolina A&T
|
120
|
- Savannah State
|
112
|
Men’s Predicted Order
|
North Division
|
Points
|
- Morgan State (14)
|
203
|
- Hampton (1)
|
154
|
- Howard (3)
|
152
|
- Coppin State
|
138
|
- Maryland Eastern Shore
|
109
|
|
South Division
|
Points
|
- South Carolina State (12)
|
196
|
- Norfolk State (6)
|
171
|
- Florida A&M
|
148
|
- Bethune-Cookman
|
128
|
- North Carolina Central
|
113
|