CCC MEN'S TENNIS PRESEASON POLL RELEASE
BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott men's tennis team has been chosen to finish fourth overall in the 2018 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) preseason coaches' poll, as voted upon by the league's nine head coaches. Endicott enters the 2018 spring season with a 2-0 record after defeating Saint Anselm (W, 8-1) and Holy Cross (W, 7-2) in the fall.
Six-time defending CCC champion Nichols College was picked first in the poll with 78 votes, which included six first-place votes. Eastern Nazarene followed in second with 74 votes (three first-place votes), while Roger Williams was third with 55 votes. Endicott fell one vote short of the Hawks at 54 votes to rank fourth.
Finishing out the poll were Gordon (53), Western New England (27), and Curry and Salve Regina with 14 votes apiece.
After appearing in the CCC Semifinals in six out of the last seven seasons, the Endicott men's tennis program (11-8, 5-3 CCC in 2017) will look to advance to the CCC Championship round in 2018.
The Gulls will be led by Matthew Doherty (Plymouth, Mass.), Christopher Kirkpatrick (Newburyport, Mass.), Keaton McCleary (Charlotte, N.C.), Charles Book (Devon, Pa.), Justin Toler (Concord, N.H.), Thomas Brent (Gorham, Maine), Anthony Rinaldi (Attleboro Falls, Mass.), and Daniel Rinkert (Ben Lomond, Calif.). Kirkpatrick stands out among the group as an All-CCC First Team Singles and All-CCC Second Team Doubles honoree (w/ Toler) from last year. Meanwhile, Book, Brent, and Toler also collected All-CCC Third Team Singles accolades from a season ago as well.
Endicott will begin the spring season with a non-conference matchup on Sunday, February 25 against Bentley at the Bass River Tennis Club in Beverly, Mass.
For the latest on Endicott Athletics, follow the Gulls on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
(Photo credit - David Le '10)