TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Washburn men's tennis team will start the spring season ranked 19th nationally, as the ITA released their team rankings Wednesday.
 
This is the highest ranking achieved by any Ichabod team in head coach Lance Lysaught's tenure. The Ichabods are also ranked third in the central region by the ITA.
 
With Alejandro Valarezo Plaza, and the duo of Valarezo Plaza and Blake Hunter, the Ichabods hold two top-four spots in the national rankings. Valarezo Plaza and the doubles team each boast the fourth spot in the ITA poll released November 21.
 
The Ichabods sit behind Southwest Baptist and Northwest Missouri State in the regional rankings, the former knocking them out of the NCAA Regionals last season, and the latter defeating the Ichabods in the MIAA Championship. SBU sits 14th in the national poll, while Northwest holds the 17th spot.
 
For more information on the 2018 men's tennis spring season, visit wusports.com.