NYIT Men’s Tennis Tabbed as ECC Preseason Favorite

February 4, 2014 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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After winning its first-ever ECC Championship and making their second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance a season ago, the New York Institute of Technology men’s tennis team has been selected as the favorite to capture another ECC title in 2014. NYIT's Nicolas Auruccio (Buenos Aires, Argentina), a junior transfer from Oklahoma Christian University, has been selected by the conference’s coaches as the Preseason Player of the Year.

With six first place votes, NYIT tops the poll with 48 points. University of the District of Columbia, 2013 ECC runner-up and also a NCAA Tournament participant a season ago, took home the other first place vote to come in second in the poll with 37 points. Roberts Wesleyan College rounds out the top three with 34 points.

In 2013, NYIT avenged regular season losses to Queens College and UDC in the ECC Championship to capture their first ever conference title. The Bears carried that momentum over into the NCAA Tournament defeating Southern New Hampshire and Merrimack to advance to the NCAA Round of 16 for the first time in program history. NYIT is also currently ranked 44th in the country in the Division II Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll.

Six members of last year's NYIT squad return to the court this season, but newcomer Auruccio takes home the conference's Preseason Player of the Year award. Aurrucio comes to NYIT after posting an 8-2 singles record and a 9-2 doubles mark at Oklahoma Christian in 2013. In the fall season for the Bears, he compiled a 7-3 record and advanced to the semifinals in both the singles and doubles at the ITA East Region Tournament. He is currently the highest ranked singles player from the ECC in the ITA East Region rankings, coming in at No. 6, and teams with Jamie Salvador to rank third in the region in doubles as well.

2014 East Coast Conference Preseason Poll
School/Points

1. New York Institute of Technology (6) – 48
2. District of Columbia (1) – 37
3. Roberts Wesleyan  – 34
4. Queens College – 31
5. St. Thomas Aquinas – 21
6. Dowling – 13
7. Daemen – 12


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Centercourt
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