North Central College Athletics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Complete Rankings

Nov. 11, 2009 -- The Intercollegiate Tennis Association released its preseason regional rankings on Tuesday with North Central College's Sam Sweeney ranking ninth in the Central Region.

The junior jumps up six spots after finishing up the spring season ranked 15th within the region.

At the ITA Central Region Tournament hosted by Washington University in Saint Louis from Sep. 25-28, Sweeney advanced all the way to the quarterfinals of the 128 player field, compiling a 4-1 mark in singles play before bowing out to Wash U's John Watts, the region's top ranked player. The loss snapped Sweeney's 17-match win streak and was his first collegiate defeat since March 2009. Sweeney was the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin's Men's Tennis Player of the Year during the spring of 2009, compiling a 21-2 mark in No. 1 singles, including an unblemished mark against conference opposition.

The Cardinals concluded the 2009 campaign with their best record this decade, compiling a 14-9 overall mark while finishing fifth in the CCIW with a 2-3 record. The team will look to build on that success in 2010 when the season opens in February.