The Northwest Missouri men’s and women’s tennis teams each earned spots in the final Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) tennis rankings. The Northwest menwere ranked 19th nationally and held the top spot in the central region. The Northwest women were ranked fifth in the central region.

On the men’s side, Northwest had four singles players and two doubles teams represented in the central region rankings. On the singles side, Sergio de Vilchez was ranked third in the region and 29th nationally. Alvaro Riveras was fifth regionally and 45th nationally. Also ranked regionally was Lluis Altimires, who was seventh and Julien Couronne, who was 15th. The doubles team of De Vilchez and Altimires earned the region’s No. 2 ranking and was ranked 21st in the national poll. Riveras and Couronne were ranked 10th in the central region.

The Bearcat women’s team earned a fifth place ranking in the central region. Senior Alexis Bartek was seeded as the region’s No. 20 ranked singles player.

The Bearcats women begin the 2014 spring season against Maryville College in St. Joseph on Feb. 22. The Northwest men’s team will start on March 1 against St. Cloud State (Minn.) in a match that will take place in Grand Island, Neb., at 9 a.m.

— Northwest Sports Information —