|
Rk.
|
Team (1st)
|
Pts.
|
’17 Rec. (NWC)
|
|
1.
|
Linfield (6)
|
68
|
16-4 (11-1)
|
|
2.
|
Whitman (3)
|
62
|
15-6 (11-1)
|
|
3.
|
Lewis & Clark
|
50
|
12-4 (10-2)
|
|
4.
|
Whitworth
|
35
|
7-10 (5-7)
|
|
5.
|
Puget Sound
|
33
|
8-10 (5-7)
|
|
6.
|
George Fox
|
30
|
11-10 (7-5)
|
|
7.
|
Pacific (Ore.)
|
27
|
6-9 (4-8)
|
|
8.
|
Pacific Lutheran
|
17
|
2-15 (1-11)
|
|
9.
|
Willamette
|
11
|
1-14 (0-12)
|
(Points awarded on an 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches could not vote for their own teams.)
HILLSBORO, Ore. — The Linfield Wildcats were picked to defend their regular season conference title, in what is predicted to be a top-heavy Northwest Conference women’s tennis slate, according to a poll of the nine conference head coaches.
The top two teams were separated by only six points in the preseason poll, while the predicted third place team sits 18 points off the favorites – Linfield.
The Wildcats received six first-place votes and 68 points in the preseason poll and are led by ITA All-American, Ella Riddle. The reigning Northwest Conference Player of the Year, Riddle enters her senior season as a three-time First Time All-NWC honoree. The Wildcats are ranked No. 31 in the nation and seventh in the West Region according to the ITA, while Riddle is rated as the No. 12 singles player in the country.
Whitman picked up the remaining three first-place votes and a total of 62 points in the coaches’ poll. The Blues won the Northwest Conference Tournament title last season before competing in the NCAA Division III National Championships, meeting East Texas Baptist in the opening round. Andrea Gu, a First Team All-NWC honoree in 2017, returns for her sophomore season with the Blues. The ITA rates Whitman as the No. 27 team in the nation and No. 6 squad in the region.
Lewis & Clark was slated to finish third according to the coaches, with 50 points. The Pioneers are ranked No. 28 nationally by the ITA and eighth in the region. Senior Christine Eliazo is ranked No. 50 nationally, according to the ITA, and was a first team all-conference selection in 2017.
Whitworth was picked fourth with 35 points and will bring a young team to the courts in 2018, with Jennifer Adams serving as the lone senior on the roster.
Puget Sound earned 33 points and was picked fifth and returns sophomore Lisa Owen after the Hawaiian earned Second Team All-NWC last season.
George Fox got the nod at sixth with 30 points and returns only one senior to the lineup in Catrina Kwong.
Pacific’s 27 points put the Boxers seventh, while Pacific Lutheran was picked eighth with 17 points and Willamette was picked ninth with 11 points.