In a historic moment for Kentucky men’s tennis, the Wildcats received the program’s highest ever preseason ranking from the ITA on Wednesday, coming in at No. 4 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s first team poll of the 2023 season. This marks a three-spot jump from the school’s previous high of No. 7, which occurred at the start of the 2012 season.
The Cats lead a strong SEC conference, which boasts a nation-leading seven teams in the top-25, including four schools in the top-10 (No. 6 Tennessee, No. 7 Georgia, No. 10 South Carolina). Defending National Champion Virginia tops the rankings with all 12 first-place votes, followed by Ohio State at No. 2 and TCU at No. 3.
Kentucky is coming off the best season in program history in 2022, finishing as the National Runner-Up after reaching the NCAA Championship title match as the No. 8 seed. The Wildcats finished the year with a 26-8 record and a 10-2 mark in the SEC. This year’s roster is led by returning ITA All-American Liam Draxl and features a total of seven student-athletes with ATP rankings points.
The 2023 spring season will begin on January 18th with a doubleheader dual against Dayton at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center. Don’t miss your chance to see the Wildcats in action as they strive for even greater success this season.
For the latest on UK Men’s Tennis, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKMensTennis.Â
