March 31, 2009

GREENVILLE, N.C. - After making the program's initial appearance in the polls to close out February, the East Carolina men's tennis team has earned a return to the national rankings as it stands No. 70 in this week's Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division I Poll according to a release from the organization Tuesday.

The Pirates, who have enjoyed a 15-1 record so far this spring, are one of four Conference USA teams listed among the top 75 teams in the nation - joining No. 29 Tulsa, No. 35 Rice and No. 75 SMU.

East Carolina made its debut in the ITA ratings at No. 61 on March 2.

Shawn Heinchon, who is in his fifth year heading the ECU men's team, led the Pirates to their first winning campaign since 2004 last spring with a 13-12 mark and is just one victory away this year from matching the program's all-time single-season record for wins that was earlier set in 1957 and 2000 (16).

The Pirates will try to equal the record, extend their winning streak to 12 straight and run their record to 16-1 Friday when they face UAB at 2 p.m. in opening day action of the C-USA Shoot Out. Matches against Southern Miss and UCF will follow Saturday and Sunday at the ECU Tennis Complex.