Date: March 3, 2003
Contact: Brian Laubscher (540) 458-8676
Release: Upon Receipt

W&L WOMEN'S TENNIS PICKED TO FINISH FIRST IN ODAC
Generals Finished Third In Last Year's NCAA Tournament

Sophomore Lindsay Hagerman

LEXINGTON, Va. -- The Washington and Lee women's tennis team was the unanimous preseason favorite in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll which was released on Monday.

The Generals' 10 first-place votes place them in front of Hollins, which took all the second-place votes. Sweet Briar, Bridgewater, Roanoke, Eastern Mennonite, Emory & Henry, Virginia Wesleyan, Lynchburg, Randolph-Macon Woman's, Randolph-Macon and Guilford round out the poll.

W&L went 22-3 overall in 2002, including 10-0 in the ODAC. The Generals defeated Trinity (5-4) in the third-place match of last year's national tournament.

Back for her final season is senior co-captain Erika Proko (Charlotte, N.C/Providence Day), who advanced to the national semifinals in individual competition a year ago. Sophomore Lindsay Hagerman (Dallas, Texas/Highland Park) also returns after having been named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) NCAA Division III Co-National Rookie of the Year.

The Generals (4-0, 3-0 ODAC) are in action again on Thursday when they host Hollins for a 3:30 pm match.

--GENERALS--