Meridian Community College’s Tennis Teams Finish Fall Ranked in the Top Twenty

From School Reports

In the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association/Oracle College Fall Rankings, Meridian Community College is excited to announce that Jason Pimenta, who hails from Auckland, New Zealand, is ranked number nine in the polls released November 18, 2015.  Jason has had a fantastic fall season going undefeated in Region XXIII and Southern JUCO ITA Regional play.  Jason qualified for the National Small College Championships that were held in Sumter, South Carolina, at Palmetto Tennis Center in October.  Jason played Hironi Koyangi, a sophomore, from Ventura College his first round. 

After losing a set 6-2, he settled down and won the second set 6-2 before succumbing to an injury in the third set tied at 3-3 with Jason serving to go up 4-3. Hironi won the match in the third with a 6-3 score. Hironi came in as the number one seed in the tournament in 2014 and eventually finished in 5^th place.   Jason could never completely recover during the rest of the tournament but refused to default his matches.  He lost to Ryan Brough from TJC 7-5, 6-0 and to Ismael Mzai from Seminole State 6-4, 6-2.

Pimenta brings so much to Meridian; he is an outstanding student, a team leader,and a tremendous athlete with a great attitude.  Sam Butler, a sophomore, comes in ranked 38^th.  Only fifty players are ranked nationally in singles.  In doubles, Pimenta/Butler finish the fall ranked number sixteen. The ITA/Oracle rankings only rank twenty-five doubles teams.   Pimenta/Butler drew an at-large opportunity to participate in doubles at the National Small College Championships in Sumter. Pimenta’s number nine ranking in singles and the number sixteen in doubles are the highest rankings received in the fall by Meridian Community College men’s tennis players.  The men’s team is ranked number eighteen without the help of incoming freshman, Breno Goncalves from Portugual, who will join the team in January. Along with these players, Coach Wanda McPhail will count on sophomores Walt Harrington, Reed Kasper, and Sean Grice and freshman, Noah James, Will Irvin, Alex Vaughn, John Taylor Champion, Nathan Hollis and Joshua Redmond.

Meridian Community College women are ranked fifteenth behind stellar play of four incoming freshmen and a solid group of returnees from 2014-2015.  Only twenty-five teams are ranked on both the men’s and women’s side.   At the Southern JUCO regional, Meridian’s women placed five ladies in the quarterfinals and three in the semifinals.  Paige Gibson is the only nationally- ranked player on the women’s side for the fall season. She is ranked in the top fifty at number forty-three.  Meridian’s ladies have had a great fall season behind the play of sophomores Gibson, Jami Daugherty, Alden Hartley, and Brittany Allen as well as outstanding play from a strong group of freshman ladies:  Taylor Miller, Kyra Holway, Hayden Hill, and Shelby Zachry. 

These ladies will be joined in the spring by soccer player, Jordyn Hull.  Meridian’s tennis teams are now concentrating on academics and taking a chance to do a good deal of community service.  Meridian returns to the courts January 30 with an exhibition match and Parent’s Day.   To see results and or Region rankings visit the ITA website at www.itatennis.com and click on the menu bar at the top Awards and Rankings and click on rankings in the drop down menu.  Meridian placed other players in the Region III rankings.  Region III encompasses seven states.