BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell has been picked third in the Big South Conference women's tennis preseason poll of league head coaches.
 
Defending champion Charleston Southern received eight of nine first-place votes and topped the poll with 80 points.  Radford, which advanced to the 2021 championship match, received one first-place vote and was second with 62 points.  Campbell (57) was third, followed by Presbyterian (56) in the nine-team poll.
 
CU returns a pair of all-conference performers from last year's team in sophomores Rhona Cook and Anna-Marie Kopecka.
 
Cook was a second-team all-conference performer in singles in 2021.  The native of Chester, England finished 4-8 in singles (2-3 vs. the Big South) and was 7-1 in doubles (3-0 in the league).
 
Kopecka was a first-team all-conference choice in doubles in 2021.  The native of Prague, Czech Republic finished 7-5 in doubles competition and was 6-6 in singles last spring.
 
During fall 2021 tournament play, Cook finished 6-1 in singles, while freshman Mialy Ranaivo was 7-0.  Fellow freshman Marissa Pennings finished 4-1 during the fall, while sophomore Sandra Gines was 5-1 in singles action.
 
In two seasons shortened by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Camels have posted a 13-11 dual match record, 5-4 in Big South play, under head coach Mike Stevens.
 
The Camels open the 2022 dual match campaign with five-straight road contests – starting Jan. 18 at North Carolina.
 
2022 Big South Women's Tennis Preseason Poll (first place votes in parenthesis): 1. Charleston Southern (8) 80 points, 2. Radford (1) 62, 3. Campbell 57, 4. Presbyterian 56, 5. UNC Asheville 49, 6. Gardner-Webb 47, 7. Longwood 27, 8. North Carolina A&T 15, 9. Hampton 12.