Fresno State Athletics
Pandzic Ranked Third in Preseason College Tennis Rankings
9/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Sept. 15, 2004
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State's top women's tennis player Jelena Pandzic has been ranked third in the preseason Intercollegiate Tennis Association's individual rankings. It is the highest any Bulldog has ever been ranked in the preseason poll.
Only No. 1 Cristelle Grier of Northwestern and No. 2 Megan Bradley of Miami (Fla.) are ranked above Pandzic, a sophomore who reached the finals of the NCAA Singles Tournament last year and sported a record of 29-2. One of the players she defeated on her NCAA run was Bradley, who fell in straight sets in the semifinals.
Pandzic is coming off the greatest single season in program history. She was the WAC Player of the Year and WAC Freshman of the Year, becoming the first player in conference history to earn both honors in the same season. She was also a first-team all-league honoree as well as an Academic All-WAC selection.
Two other women's tennis players also received preseason singles rankings. Lucia Tallo checked in at No. 76 while Katharina Winterhalter, coming off just the fifth 30-win season in program history, was 95th.
In doubles, Tallo and Pandzic were ranked fifth. Last year, the duo went 21-3 and reached the round of 16 at the NCAA Doubles Tournament, becoming just the second Fresno State team ever to do so. The loss at the NCAA's snapped their 16-match winning streak.
On the men's side, Greg Shearer is ranked 40th and is the only Bulldog in the singles or doubles rankings. He finished last year 15-13 and ranked 85th nationally.
The Fresno State men get the fall season underway Friday at the Boise State Invitational. The women do not begin until the Bulldog Classic on Sept. 24.
