Pre-Season Rankings Have CMS Among Nation's Elite
CMS is ranked #3 nationally and #1 in the west according to the Campbell's / ITA Division III Rankings released on November 4. The Stags placed four singles players in the top fifty national pre-season rankings, and one doubles team in the top ten.
The team's #3 national ranking marks the fifth consecutive year that the Stags have earned a top five spot in the fall rankings. CMS has also earned year-end top five finishes in each of the past five seasons, including top three in two of the past three years. The SCIAC is also well represented in the polls, with Cal Lutheran (#7), Redlands (#16), and Pomona-Pitzer (#20) all ranked in the top twenty nationally and top seven in the west. Occidental and Whittier also earned west regional team rankings (#11 and #12), meaning that six of the seven SCIAC teams are ranked.
Individually for CMS, sophomore Alex Johnson (Thousand Oaks, CA) was the top ranked Stag at #13 nationally and #3 in the west, while junior Robbie Erani (New York, NY) earned a #20 national ranking and #7 ranking in the west. Seniors Russell Brockett (Austin, TX) and Ronald Wu (Los Altos, CA) ranked #41 and #47 nationally, and #11 and #13 in the west respectively. For Brockett and Wu, it was their first appearance in the national rankings. Sophomore Mac Cahill (Southport, CT) and freshman Zhenya Pereverzin (Clackamas, OR) also earned regional singles rankings, at #22 and #25 in the west.
In doubles, Erani and Wu earned a #10 national ranking and #3 west ranking after reaching the final of the USTA / ITA West Regional. Brockett and junior Brandon Wei (Lake Oswego, OR) rank #12 in the west after reaching the quarterfinals of the USTA / ITA West Regional.
The Stags begin their spring season with the Ducey Cup Alumni Match on Saturday, February 5. CMS opens their home dual match schedule on Friday, February 11 at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center against nationally ranked NAIA opponent Westmont College. The Stags begin SCIAC play at Caltech - where they will seek their 50th consecutive conference win - on February 19.