Thursday, March 20, 2008

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 20, 2008) - The 46th-ranked ETSU men's tennis team made history in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings. Senior Lisandro Picardo (Mar del Plata, Argentina) and junior Enrique Olivares (Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela) both earned national rankings in singles. This marks the first time in program history that two players from the team have earned national rankings.

Olivares who is 16-5 on the year and 11-2 in dual action is ranked at No. 67 after having been ranked for the entire season. He has defeated No. 75 Ryan Preston of No. 34 Vanderbilt as well as players from No. 24 Tennessee, No. 50 MTSU and No. 48 Harvard.

Picardo earns the first national ranking of his career after posting a team-high 20-3 record and is perfect in dual play at 12-0. He is ranked at No. 95. Picardo defeated No. 114 Reid Carlton of Duke as well as players from No. 24 Tennessee, No. 50 MTSU, No. 17 Wake Forest and No. 48 Harvard.

The Bucs will take on conference opponents Florida Gulf Coast and No. 59 Stetson over the weekend. ETSU takes on FGCU at 2:30 p.m. on March 21 while they face the Hatters on Saturday, March 22 at Noon.

For all ETSU men's tennis action visit www.ETSUBucs.com.