Sept. 3, 2003

WACO, Texas - Benedikt Dorsch is ranked No. 1 nationally in preseason collegiate rankings released today by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. In addition, three other Bears, Benjamin Becker, Ivor Lovrak and newcomer Matija Zgaga, were listed in the top 100.

Dorsch, a returning double All-American off last season's 28-2 team, garnered 1,000 votes from the ITA National Ranking Committee, outdistancing No. 2 Bo Hodge of Georgia by 10 votes. Dorsch finished last season ranked No. 3 with a 49-6 record and a runner-up finish in the NCAA Singles Championships. The 2003 Big 12 Player of the Year was ranked No. 1 for five consecutive weeks in 2003, becoming the first Baylor player to sit in the top spot. Benjamin Becker, also a junior, comes in at No. 17 after posting a 30-8 record in 2003. Sophomore Ivor Lovrak had an impressive rookie season in 2003 with a 38-7 mark and is ranked No. 68 and newcomer Matija Zgaga is ranked No. 100.

In doubles Dorsch and Becker are ranked No. 10.

The Bears, under the guidance of Matt Knoll ranked No. 4 at season's end, return seven off last year's highly successful team and have added two newcomers to the mix. Knoll welcomes back Becker, Dorsch, Matias Marin, Reiner Neurohr, Jason Gould, Lovrak, and Barry McLaren while Zgaga (Maribor, Slovenia) and John Rekeway (Lincoln, Neb.) are new to the team.