that is what I am addressing - "just not as solid as the last few years". on paper they should be one of the toughest teams the last 2 or 3 years - 4 players who have earned a national ranking and the #6 player (a senior now) from last 2 years is now on the bench!

What are you trying to say that I haven't already addressed? You thought Enrique was the best to ever play at ETSU. Maybe you weren't around when Yaser was on the team himself?
(Oh, and you were wrong about his salary, too....)

Those individual rankings are very squirrely when you get past, say 30 or 40. Have you not been reading Yaser's quotes over and over again about how we're a bit down this year and the rest of the league has caught up? The overall league strength (maybe like basketball this season) is stronger than any year since we've been in the ASun.

I agree you have a point, "on paper" about having a number of nationally ranked players - but remember those rankings are extremely suspect the further down the list one goes. Did Bandres 'deserve' his #112 ranking earlier this year? Probably not, in hindsight. Rankings that early in the season are almost like predicting who will win the basketball conference, or early-season RPI numbers. Have they underachieved this year? Well, they won the conference tournament again this year (5 in a row, no less) in a clearly more competitive league, with everyone once again gunning for them. One could argue Zaatini should once again be coach of the year, although more likely North Florida's, USC-Upstate's, or Campbell's deserves it more because of the strides they've made. Any of the top 5 teams could have won the conference tournament. Heck, even Mercer was significantly improved.

So I don't think much criticism is warranted - certainly not for the team. Have individual players had minor lapses? Possibly; but the bottom line is they got the job done, against tougher comp than ever before in this league. We came within a breath of beating #20 San Diego (at their place).

I think I've done enough 'splainin'.....

And oh, by the way, ETSU was ranked 71st in the April 5th rankings; we weren't in the top 75 April 12th, however. (And I think new rankings come out sometime today, but I'm not sure.)

I think if we get a #3 regional seed, we'll have some chance of winning another NCAA match, depending on who it is. If they give us a #4, then that's much tougher, and we might get stuck playing UT again.......

EDIT: I see that they've already named coach of the year, and it's UNF's Igal Buberman, which is very deserved....

Just released, ETSU has jumped to #62:

April 19, 2011 NCAA tennis rankings

Maybe that will help us get a #3 regional seed.....

the men should be ranked. I expect them to receive a #3 seeding and winning the first round of the NCAA's. if they do not play at UT - do not be surprised if they get through the regional. if they play UT - loss again. both teams will probably be at UT again. look for the men's match to be played indoors again - home court advantage. the women have no chance unfortunately. actually by the mixed results this year their best days might be in the past.

Yeah, I think probably the men should be ranked, too, but it's so hard to say when I haven't seen many other teams, and haven't poured over all the dual match results out there. I think it will be a close call whether they get a 3 or 4 seed. I'd love to get a 3 and play like Wake, or Va. Tech, Auburn; or Notre Dame or Alabama again (not so much Vandy). But I disagree that we'll get out of the region if we're not in the bracket with UT. Too many other great teams in this part of the country - as in Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky, among several others. Not sure how they go about putting teams in which region. As you may recall, they sent us to the Midwest Regional 3 years ago when we beat Notre Dame, but I think they tend to try and keep it closer by. I would be shocked to my core (pleasantly) if we could win a regional championship. I just don't think that's realistic at all.

And if by some chance we play UT, it will outdoors unless it rains again. They just can't play it indoors just because they want to......

And I agree, sadly, that the women have essentially no chance, and that their best days are behind them - at least for now. Imo, they've already overachieved this year... But give Yaser a couple more years to see if he can re-establish Steve's pipeline, or really more likely, get some higher-ranked players from S.A.....

Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky, Duke no. North Carolina, Georgia Tech - a slight chance.
your right about the women. since the conference fell apart - the women were able to win. I do not think they will ever scare a top 30 team again.

Sigh.......I somehow thought the match was today. Obviously, had I known it was yesterday, my psychic powers would have been enough to turn the tide. What a close match:

story from ND's perspective

Ohio St. beat ND 4-0 in the second round, losing only 1 set in the process......
I know 2 of their top 3 players are European, and both have played some professional tennis before college.