The Nebraska men’s tennis team earned its first national ranking of the season Tuesday when it was listed at No. 55 in the ITA team poll. All seven programs from the Big 12 are ranked in the top 75 this week.
“We’re excited. One of our team goals was to be ranked in the top 50 this season and this is a great start toward that,” said NU Coach Kerry McDermott. “We have to continue to work hard and keep up the intensity, but this is a nice way to get the year started. Now we have to keep it going.”
Nebraska’s ranking is its first of the season and the first since ranking No. 75 on Feb. 10, 2004. It is also just the second time NU has been ranked since 2002. NU spent eight weeks in the polls in the 2002 season, reaching as high as No. 62 before finishing the year at No. 72.
The Huskers earned their current ranking after knocking off then-No. 16 Rice in the season-opening dual match, 4-3, on Jan. 24. Nebraska was then swept by No. 1 and defending national champion Baylor last week.
Along with Nebraska and Baylor, Texas A&M (No. 15) and OklahomaState (No. 26) are ranked in the top 30 this week. Texas is ranked No. 34 while Oklahoma is just ahead of the Cornhuskers at No. 53. Colorado rounds out the Big 12 teams in the rankings by coming in at No. 62.
Nebraska returns to action this weekend on the road when it faces IdahoState and Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Friday, Feb. 4. NU then takes on the Denver Pioneers in Denver on Saturday, Feb. 5.