AUGUSTA, Ga.-- The Augusta State men’s and women’s tennis teams open up their 2006 spring seasons on the road on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at Queens College in Charlotte, N.C.

After competing in three tournaments in the fall season, the men are ranked 26th in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. This improves on their 28th position in the final standings at the conclusion of the spring 2005 season.

The team also received regional recognition, placing eighth in the Mid-Atlantic Region rankings. Victor Meza, who posted a 7-2 fall record, earned the 15th spot in regional singles rankings, and the team of Lindy Blount and Harry Hahn, who had a 4-3 fall record, claimed the sixth position in regional doubles rankings.

The Jags received these honors after a stellar performance at the 2005 Chick-Fil-A Collegiate Championship at the Newman Tennis Center in Augusta, Ga., where the team came away with finals victories in six of nine flights.

On the singles court last fall, Arthur Figueiro finished 7-2, Frederico Mendes 8-2, Mike Vandenabeele 7-3, Hahn 5-4, Igor Vasconcellos 5-5, and Blount 3-3. In doubles action, Meza and Mendes finished 7-3, Figueiro and Vasconcellos 4-2, Vandenabeele and Figueiro 1-1, and Vandenabeele and Hahn 1-0.

The team will look to improve on both their national and regional rankings this spring. “We have a strong, experienced team,” said eighth-year head coach Michael McGrath, “and I have confidence that we will make the regional tournament again this year.”

The women’s team, who also competed in three tournaments in the fall season, has brought in two new players for the 2006 season. Joining the team are Nathalia Rodrigues, a freshman from Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Ashley Hucker, a freshman from Sydney, Australia.

“Hopefully the two additions will add some depth to the team,” said McGrath. “If so, I think that we will be more competitive in the spring.”

In fall singles action, Ashley Abrams finished 3-6, Jeaneen Brester 2-4, Norma Rovira 2-5 and Maria Zevallos 1-6. On the doubles court, the team of Abrams and Brester was 5-3, and the team of Rovira and Zevallos was 1-4.

The first home match for both the men’s and women’s teams is against fellow Peach Belt squad Armstrong Atlantic on Saturday, Feb. 4. Competition begins at 1:00 p.m. at the Newman Tennis Center in Augusta, Ga.