FOREST, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Women's Tennis Team has been picked ninth in the 2013 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Coaches' Poll, ODAC officials announced Thursday. The poll is voted on by the 12 head coaches in the conference.

Washington and Lee University is the top choice and received 11 first-place votes for 121 points. Virginia Wesleyan College received the other top-nod and is second with 99 points. Hollins Univeristy (95) and Roanoke College (93) round out the top four.

Emory & Henry returns four of its top six players from last year's 6-12 squad and will have yet another season without any seniors on the roster.  The Wasps also welcome two freshmen who will make an impact in the lineup immediately.

Junior Alyssa Wingate (Independence, Va.) posted a 13-5 record at number one singles with a 5-4 mark in ODAC play. Wingate also was a part of 10 wins at number one doubles, four coming against league opponents.

Sophomore Sheyenne Cleveland (Rural Retreat, Va.) picked up six singles and three doubles wins last year while junior Casey Blackburn (Richmond, Va.) won five singles matches and three doubles contests. Junior Emily Bolt (Independence, Va.) won six combined matches last year as well for the Wasps.

Joining Emory & Henry this year are freshmen Taylor Evans (Gate City, Va.) and Meredith Yeary  (Knoxville, Tenn.). Both players had very successful high school careers. Evans won two state team titles with the Gate City High School Blue Devils in addition to a state runner-up finish in doubles, falling in a three-set match. Yeary advanced to the district singles semifinals her senior year as the team took the district runner-up position. As a junior, Yeary was the district champion in doubles play.

E&H, which posted a 1-1 record during the fall, will open the spring on Wednesday, February 27 when it travels to Mary Baldwin College for a 2:00 p.m. match. The Wasps will open at home on Saturday, March 23 with an ODAC contest against the WildCats of Randolph College at 1:00 p.m.

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