Clayton State women ranked seventh in ITA Division II Preseason Top 25 Poll

MORROW, Ga. – January 19, 2012 – Coming off the best season in program history, the Clayton State Laker women's tennis team is highly-ranked heading into the upcoming 2012 season.

In the recently-released ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) Division II Preseason Top 25 Poll, Clayton State is ranked seventh in the nation. This marks the highest national preseason ranking for Clayton State in the history of Laker women's tennis. Clayton State is coming off a banner 2011 season which the Lakers finished 18-8 under first-year head coach Le'Trone Mason, advancing to the NCAA Division II "Final Four" for the first time ever

Clayton State is one of five teams from the Peach Belt Conference that is preseason nationally-ranked. Armstrong is ranked third, while Columbus State is ranked 12^th, Flagler is ranked 13^th and Georgia College is ranked 16^th.

Defending NCAA Division II National Runner-up Lynn is the preseason top-ranked team in Division II.

Individually, the Clayton State team of Marie Cercelletti and Ivana Krommelova are ranked 15^th in the nation in doubles. Krommelova was selected as an ITA Division II All-American last season, and she and Cercelletti advanced to the ITA Southeast Regional semifinals in doubles back in the fall.

2012 SCHEDULE CHANGES: Mason announced on Thursday some schedule changes and additions for the 2012 season.

The Lakers' Peach Belt Conference showdown at Armstrong has been moved from March 5 to April 6 at 2 p.m., and there are also two time changes of note. Clayton State's March 18 match at home against Georgia College has been moved up to 1 p.m., and the Lakers' April 15 match at UNC Pembroke will be at 10 a.m.

Mason also added three matches in March. Clayton State will square off against top-ranked Lynn in Savannah on March 3 in a rematch of last season's NCAA Division II "Final Four" match. In addition, Clayton State will play two matches in Orlando during the first week of March – March 6 against Division I Delaware State and March 9 against Albion.

The Lakers open the 2012 season on Feb. 4 at home against defending NAIA National Champion Auburn-Montgomery.