Dec. 19, 2006
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – A total of 10 Notre Dame men and women’s tennis players and five doubles teams have been ranked in the Midwest Region, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced recently.
The Irish women had six players ranked in the top 20. Senior Catrina Thompson (Las Vegas, NV/Bishop Gorman) was the highest rated player closing the fall season at No. 2. After her ITA Midwest Regional Championship, freshman Colleen Rielley (Overland Park, KS/Bishop Miege) was ranked No. 3. Another freshman, Cosmina Ciobanu (Brea, CA/Troy), garnered the No. 5 ranking. Senior Christian Thompson (Las Vegas, NV/Bishop Gorman), junior Brook Buck (Yukon, OK/Oklahoma Christian School) and sophomore Kelcy Tefft (Enid, OK/Chisholm) rounded out the Notre Dame contingent. Christian Thompson was ranked No. 12, Buck was listed at No. 17 and Tefft was No. 20.
Notre Dame and Northwestern each had six players ranked in the top 30, but the Irish were the only program to have their six ranked among the top 20.
The three Notre Dame teams of Christian and Catrina Thompson, Buck and Tefft and freshman Kali Krisik (Arkansas City, KS/Arkansas City) and Ciobanu were all ranked in the top six of doubles. The Thompson twins were ranked in the top spot, while Buck and Tefft were just behind at No. 2. Krisik and Ciobanu were ranked No. 6.
The Irish men were also littered throughout the top 30 in singles. Senior Stephen Bass (Bronxville, NY/Iona Prep School) and junior Sheeva Parbhu (Omaha, NE/Millard North) were each ranked among the top five. Bass and Parbhu were ranked No. 3 and No. 4 respectively. Sophomore Brett Helgeson (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley West) and senior Barry King (Dublin, Ireland/Gonzaga College) were the final two Notre Dame men ranked. Helgeson was No. 22 and King was ranked No. 26.
Senior Ryan Keckley (South Bend, IN/St. Joseph’s) and Parbhu were ranked No. 2 in doubles, while King and Helgeson were No. 13.
Each Notre Dame team will open their respective spring seasons in late January. The Irish women travel to Illinois for a match with the Fighting’ Illini on Jan. 26 at 6:00 p.m. (EST). The men open the same day and travel to Charlottesville to play Virginia. First-serve is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. (EST).
— ND —