Asbury (Ky.) picked as favorite in RSC Women's Tennis Coaches' Poll
NEW ALBANY, Ind. -- Asbury (Ky.) University is the 2018 favorite in the River States Conference Women's Tennis Coaches' Poll. The Eagles, who have won the conference tournament the last two years, led the voting of the RSC's nine women's tennis head coaches.
Asbury is "receiving votes" in the NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll so far this year to lead the RSC teams. The Eagles garnered 62 votes in the conference poll and six of the possible nine first-place votes as the RSC favorite.
IU Southeast is right behind in the RSC poll with 59 votes and the remaining three first-place votes. The Grenadiers have been a top conference contender the last several years and were in the RSC semifinals last year.
IU East placed third in the conference poll with 50 points coming off its RSC Tournament runner-up finish in 2017. Midway (Ky.) University came in fourth in the poll with 38 points after being a conference semifinalist a year ago.
Carlow (Pa.) University was next with 34 points followed by IU Kokomo, a new team this year, with 29 points, and Brescia (Ky.) University with 26 points. Ohio Christian University (17 points) and Alice Lloyd (Ky.) College (9) rounded out the poll.
The fall tennis season had the RSC teams get together for the RSC Individual Tournament held at Asbury (Ky.). That event had Asbury win three of the six singles draws. IU Southeast won two of the singles draws while IU East won the remaining draw. The doubles competition had IU Southeast win three of the four draws with Asbury winning the remaining one.
The main part of the RSC schedule begins later this month with mainly conference matches remaining as of the weekend of March 16. The 2018 RSC Women's Tennis Tournament will be held April 27-28 in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NAIA Women's Tennis National Championship.
2018 RIVER STATES CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TENNIS COACHES' POLL
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)
| School | Votes |
| 1. Asbury (Ky.) (6) | 62 |
| 2. IU Southeast (3) | 59 |
| 3. IU East | 50 |
| 4. Midway (Ky.) | 38 |
| 5. Carlow (Pa.) | 34 |
| 6. IU Kokomo | 29 |
| 7. Brescia (Ky.) | 26 |
| 8. Ohio Christian | 17 |
| 9. Alice Lloyd (Ky.) | 9 |