UNF Women Tennis Team Earns First Division I National Ranking

Jeff Wuerth

The University of North Florida women’s tennis team is ranked No. 70 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association standings. This is the first time that UNF has been nationally ranked since becoming an NCAA Division I member in 2005-06. 
“This is a testament to our hard work on and off the court,” said head coach Rodrigo Puebla. “That was one of our main goals this year, to break into the national rankings. Our team has been playing well lately and hopefully that momentum can carry through the rest of the season.”
The Ospreys are currently 9-1 on the season and 2-0 in the Atlantic Sun. UNF has picked up wins over A-Sun preseason favorite Stetson, the Big 12’s Iowa State, Conference USA’s UTEP, South Carolina State, South Alabama, Florida A&M, Bethune-Cookman, A-Sun foe Florida Gulf Coast and Ohio Valley Conference preseason favorite Eastern Kentucky. UNF’s single loss on the season came to College of Charleston, who is currently 67th in the ITA standings. 
Sophomore Aline Berkenbrock is undefeated in the No. 1 spot for the Ospreys at 10-0.  She and senior partner Raquel Castro are 8-2 in the No. 1 doubles. Against Stetson, the duo defeated No. 37 ranked doubles pair of Valentina Galbarini and Carolina Santos. 
Castro has a 7-2 record at No. 2 singles, while sophomore transfer Danielle Day has a 9-1 singles record in the No. 3 slot.  Junior Lauren Holton is 8-0, playing in the No. 5/6 position and junior Victoria Krook has tallied a 9-1 record, playing primarily at No. 5. 
UNF will be back on the court on Friday, March 12, when it hosts Atlantic Sun opponent Belmont at 2 p.m. The Ospreys will follow that up with a league match on Saturday, March 13, against Lipscomb at 11 a.m. 

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