NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University women's tennis team is one week from beginning its 2023 spring season, and they will return to competition as the 25th ranked team in NCAA Division II according to the ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings sponsored by Tennis-Point.
In addition to the computerized team rankings, the Wildcats have three individuals nationally ranked in this month's polls. Freshman Carmelle Vial will go into her spring season ranked No. 64 in all of NCAA Division II while junior Jess Purdy and sophomore Neus Ramos Moreno are ranked as the 50th doubles team in NCAA Division II.
The Wildcats went 12-0 in the fall season, winning the CACC Regular Season and Tournament Championship with a 4-2 comeback victory over Jefferson. They earned the conference's automatic qualification into the NCAA Regional Tournament for the second year in a row and will play the spring season to prepare for the postseason in May.
According to the ITA Rankings, the Wildcats at the top team in the East with an average of 19.9, with Southern New Hampshire coming in at No. 29 with a 16.25 and St. Thomas Aquinas at No. 30 with a 16.15.
Carmelle Vial went a perfect 9-0 in singles competition this past fall, going 6-0 at No. 1 singles, 2-0 at No. 2, and 1-0 at No. 3 singles. She is only one of five student-athletes from the East Region in the Top 75, with Adelphi's Sanne Selmer leading the way at No. 18. Franklin Pierce's Maria Penalver is listed at No. 22 followed by Queens' Caroline Fawzy at No. 44. Southern New Hampshire's Magdalena Hubickova is at No. 45 with Vila coming in at No. 64.
The doubles team of Jess Purdy and Neus Ramos Moreno went 7-1 in the fall, going 2-1 at No. 1, 4-0 at No. 2, and 1-0 at No. 3 doubles matches this year. They are also one of five teams listed in the ITA Top 50 this month, led by the pair from Southern New Hampshire at No. 8.
Click here to view the entire Division II ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings sponsored by Tennis-Point: https://www.wearecollegetennis.com/2023/03/08/division-ii-womens-rankings-march-8/.
The Wildcats' spring season starts March 15 at Haverford College.