Strode and Mascall Receive Top 20 Preseason Rankings

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Junior Blake Strode is No. 20 in the preseason singles rankings released Friday by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). Strode is coming off a season in which he went 27-11 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Singles Championships.

The St. Louis native was named a first-team Southeastern Conference performer and earned CoSIDA Academic All-District team honors during his sophomore campaign. Strode is one of nine players from the SEC ranked in the top 50 heading into the 2007-08 season.

Strode and senior Colin Mascall received a preseason ranking of No. 12 in the doubles poll. The duo claimed a record of 19-10 last season for the Razorbacks on its way to earning a trip to the 2007 NCAA Doubles Championships.

Fall competition for some of the men’s tennis team will begin Sept. 14 when Razorbacks Taylor King, Jorge Villanueva and Bradwin Williams travel to the Navy Invitational in Annapolis, Md.