The Northwest Missouri State men’s tennis team climbed to No. 1 in the Central Region and will start the spring season at No. 25 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association national rankings.

The Bearcat duo of Sergio de Vilchez and Luis Altimires check in on the national rankings as well at No. 17. The doubles team claimed the ITA Central Region doubles title in September and advanced to the ITA Small College National Championships in Mobile, Ala. The pair also will open the spring ranked No. 1 in the Central Region as well.

Freshman standout, de Vilchez also earned a national ranking on the singles side after his impressive fall campaign. de Vilchez will open the season ranked 38th nationally and No. 2 in the Central Region when NCAA team competition begins in February.

Joining de Vilchez in the regional rankings are Rafael Bugiga at No. 5 and Guilherme Narducci at No. 13. Bugiga and Narducci also team in doubles and will enter the spring season rank fourth in the region.

Northwest opens its 2013 spring championship season Feb. 15 against Alabama-Huntsville at the indoor courts in Red Oak, Iowa.

After a solid fall season the Northwest Missouri State women’s tennis team will open the season ranked No. 2 in the Central Region announced by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

The Bearcats also place the doubles team of Camila Quesada and Alexis Bartek in the ITA national rankings checking in at No. 22. Quesada and Bartek went 21-8 last year as a doubles team before falling in the MIAA Championships.

Quesada and Bartek also earned a spot in the Central Region singles rankings with Quesada checking in at No. 4 and Bartek at No. 8. Freshman Gisela Font joined the two juniors in the singles rankings as she will begin the 2013 season at No. 18.

Northwest opens the 2013 spring season Feb. 16 when they host new MIAA member, Northeastern State at the Indoor Tennis Club in St. Joseph.

— NWMSU Sports Information —