Trojan netters conclude year ranked 34th nationally

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on June 1, 2005 1:57 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive concluded the season ranked No. 34 nationally in the final Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II men's tennis poll announced Tuesday.

The Trojans spent the entire 2004-05 season in the national rankings, including a school-record No. 28 ranking in the fall. Mount Olive is also ranked No. 10 in the year-end Mid-Atlantic regional poll.

Mount Olive's ranking marks the second consecutive year the Trojans have been ranked in the final ITA national poll. Mount Olive was ranked No. 31 in last year's final poll and has been nationally ranked in every ITA poll dating back to April 7, 2004.

The Trojans (16-10 overall) posted a perfect 10-0 record in the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference and emerged the first Mount Olive College athletics team in any sport to go unbeaten in CVAC play. Head coach Burt Lewis was named 2005 CVAC Men's Tennis Coach of the Year and three Trojans earned All-CVAC honors.

Senior Fernando Crisosto was named to the All-CVAC first team, freshman Gabriel Garcia was named to the All-CVAC second team and freshman Guillherme Serra earned All-CVAC honorable mention.

The Trojans finished fourth in the CVAC men's tennis tournament, falling to No. 4 seed Lees-McRae in the semifinal round and to No. 2 seed Barton in the third-place match.

Mount Olive is one of four CVAC teams ranked in the top 40, joining No. 25 Anderson, No. 31 Barton and No. 39 Lees-McRae.