The Loyola tennis team is suiting up to begin their Southern States Athletic Conference matches against Mobile on Feb. 29 in City Park Tennis Center.
The Loyola women’s team ranked second in the preseason SSAC poll, and the Loyola men’s team ranked third in the preseason SSAC poll, leading both teams strongly into the spring 2024 season.
The Wolf Pack lost 3-4 to Nicholls (1-1) on Jan. 31 at the center.
Individually, however, Loyola’s Lucy Carpenter led strongly as first seed defeating Nicholls’ Qianyu Liu in singles, as well as Loyola’s Micaela Ponce defeating Nicholls’ Lea Grinberg as second seed for singles.
Now, the Loyola women’s team is ranked 11th in the NAIA Top 25, and the Loyola Men’s team is ranked 23rd.
Also, Herman Aure was named SSAC’s men’s tennis player of the week on Feb. 6 – his first weekly conference award with Wolf Pack Tennis.
Men and women’s head coach Matt Llewellyn said that both teams have goals of winning the conference championship, as well as the national championship.
“It’s something that I believe they can do, so it’s good to hear that from [SSAC],” he said. “We have the most talented and accomplished women’s team in school history right now so they have the ability to do it.”
