By: by Matthew Farhadi
KENNESAW, Ga. - The first week of 2011 has been a big one for the Kennesaw State women’s tennis program. On Monday afternoon, the Athletics Department announced the hiring of new head coach Jeffery Kutac and now history has been made by junior Mackenzie Swindall on Wednesday morning.
Swindall becomes the first-ever Kennesaw State tennis player to be ranked by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association in the top-125 singles players in the nation.
The Stone Mountain, Ga. native is ranked 123rd in the nation in the newest polls, and she is also ranked 20th for Division I singles players in the Southeast Region.
Mackenzie is the only player from the Atlantic Sun Conference to be ranked in the top-125 by the ITA in the latest poll.
“We are all very proud of Mackenzie for this tremendous accomplishment,” head coach Jeff Kutac said. “I am looking forward to her competing with this ranking in the spring season, and hopefully the rest of the team can build on this success.”
She is coming off a strong sophomore season as she finished with a singles record of 7-6, which includes an impressive 3-2 record at the No. 4 singles position.
Swindall is used to making Kennesaw State women’s tennis history as she accomplished another first for the program in the fall season in late October. She became the first KSU player in history to advance out of the first round of the ITA Regional main draw when she pulled off an opening round upset over Ali Beavers of Georgia Southern on the campus of the University of Georgia.
The ITA is the governing body of college tennis, overseeing men's and women's varsity tennis at NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College over the past three decades.
Swindall, and the rest of the Owls will begin their season on Jan. 27 as they will take on Southeastern Louisiana.
