WOMEN'S TENNIS VOTED NO. 1 IN PRESEASON POLL, FOUR RAMS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE

RICHMOND, Va. – VCU Women's Tennis has four players named in the Atlantic 10 preseason all-conference award list and the team was picked to finish first as they were voted no. one in the preseason poll, the conference announced today.

Graduates Anastasia Smirnova and Victoria Smirnova, senior Gabriela Davidescu, and sophomore Yelizaveta Karlova were all named to the preseason all-conference team.

The Rams received 12 of 13 first-place votes as the team, led by head coach Vivian Segnini, looks to win their fifth straight A-10 conference title.

Anastasia and Victoria Smirnova are both highly anticipated transfers from Rice. Anastasia Won four of her last five decisions to finish the spring 4-3 in singles and three of her last four doubles matches in the 2020-21 season. Victoria was 4-5 in singles during that time, including a 3-4 mark at the first line, and posted a 9-7 mark in doubles.

Davidescu has been part of VCU's core for her entire collegiate career. Last year she was named to the A-10 second team as she Tallied an overall 16-14 singles record and 21-15 doubles record and totaled a 12-11 doubles record in dual match play.

Karlova was also named to the A-10 first team last season and had an overall record of 17-15 in singles and 15-11 in doubles.

VCU returns to the court for a home match against Norfolk State on Friday, Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m. Admission to Thalhimer Tennis Center is free to the general public.

2023 A-10 WTEN Preseason Poll

Rank	School (First-Place Votes)	Points
1	VCU (12)	168
2	Massachusetts	141
3	Richmond (1)	131
4	Davidson	121
5	Fordham	115
t-6	George Washington	101
t-6	Saint Louis	101
8	Dayton	72
9	Rhode Island	67
10	Duquesne	61
11	George Mason	49
12	St. Bonaventure	31
13	Saint Joseph's	25

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Players Mentioned

Gabriela Davidescu: 5' 5"; Freshman

Yelizaveta Karlova: 5' 9"; Sophomore

Victoria Smirnova: 5' 5"; Graduate Student

Anastasia Smirnova: 5' 5"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Gabriela Davidescu
: 5' 5"; Freshman

Yelizaveta Karlova
: 5' 9"; Sophomore

Victoria Smirnova
: 5' 5"; Graduate Student

Anastasia Smirnova
: 5' 5"; Graduate Student