TEMPE, Ariz.--Four University of Hawai`i Hilo players are listed in the fall Oracle/ITA Division II West Region Collegiate Tennis rankings, released on Nov. 15 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association offices in Tempe.
Vulcan junior
Vaclav Slezak, who finished 19-4 last season in singles play, is listed fourth in the 2017-18 west region list. At the conclusion of his sophomore season, Slezak was named the ITA Regional Player to Watch and the Pacific West Conference Newcomer of the Year.
The three players in front of the Czech Republic native are Oliver Frank (Azusa Pacific), Christian Schmid (Azusa Pacific) and Hawai`i Pacific's Lucas Franco. Frank won the ITA singles national championship this fall as was undefeated last spring. Schmid lost only one match last year, and Franco is a highly touted freshman from Spain.
Also in the Top 20 is UH Hilo's
Alex Fillat Perez at No. 15. As a junior, Fillat Perez played No. 2 singles for the Vulcans and finished 14-8. He was named to the Second Team All-PacWest squad. Fillat Perez and
Bruno Figlia, who were an astounding 18-5 in doubles last year, made the Top 10 west region doubles list at No. 7. No. 1 is the APU team of Frank and Schmid.
On the women's side, UH Hilo senior
Daniela Sanz made the west region singles list at No. 9. She finished 12-10 in singles play as a junior, and was named to the All-PacWest Second Team. The top two spots in the women's rankings belong to Hawai`i Pacific players Lena Lutzeier and Laura Meccico. Lutzeier is a transfer from Armstrong State, where she went 38-2 last year and was named the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year. Meccico earned second-team All-American honors for the Sharks last spring.
The No. 1 doubles team in this first ranking of the season is HPU's Meccico and Babara Kijasova.
The Vulcans, who have been practicing all fall, will officially open their seasons on February 16 in Kailua Kona at the Holua Tennis Center against UC San Diego. The women will also play Chaminade on the 16th, and both teams will take on Hawai`i Pacific over the long weekend.
For the complete Oracle/ITA rankings, go to....
http://www.itatennis.com.
