NEC Release
 
SOMERSET, N.J. – A year removed from capturing the third Northeast Conference championship in program history, the Fairleigh Dickinson women's tennis team was selected to remain on top of the conference as the Knights were picked to finish first in the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll on Friday.
 
FDU received six of a possible 11 first-place votes, while 2012 runner up Quinnipiac checked in at second place with two first-place votes.
 
First-year Head Coach Jonathan Buchman, who was an assistant under Ira Miller a season ago, has the Knights heading in the right direction following a 2-0 fall season. Buchman will look to his two seniors, Anna Rapoport (Moscow, Russia/#1239 ) and Egzona Morina (Prishtina, Kosovo/American School of Kosovo), to lead the way on a squad with three players who played in the NCAA Tournament last season.
 
Rapoport, the 2012 NEC Player of the Year, was named First Team All-NEC for No. 1 singles and added Second Team All-NEC for No. 1 doubles. She went 18-3 overall last season and a perfect 5-0 in NEC play. During the fall season, Rapoport put together a 5-5 mark.
 
Playing No. 3 singles in the fall, Morina went 10-4 and earned NEC Player of the Month for October. Morina is coming off a junior season where she was selected as a First Team All-Conference pick at No. 5 singles.
 
Headlining the newcomers for Buchman's Knights is local product Nicole Chis (Highland Park, N.J./Highland Park), who was recognized as NEC Rookie of the Month for September, and NEC Player and Rookie of the Month for October. Her 12 wins in the fall were the most by an FDU player.
 
The Knights are set to open the spring against Rutgers in Manasquan, N.J. on Wednesday, Feb. 13, at 2 p.m.


2013 NEC Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches Poll