Ball State University Athletics
Baccarani and Thompson Climb to No. 4 in National Poll
January 12, 2006 | Men's Tennis
The No. 4 ranking for Baccarani and Thompson is the highest for a Ball State doubles duo since the 1992 campaign when Dan Kronauge and Paul Kruse came in at the No. 1 spot.
"It is hard to put into words the significance of a ranking this high," Ball State head coach Bill Richards said. "One of our goals this year for Matt and Patrick was for them to work hard and have a successful fall campaign. They really took advantage of two national events this fall. This is a great accomplishment for them and a great honor for our program. The only down side to this is that everyone is now looking to defeat them. Every match is going to be tough."
Baccarani and Thompson finished the 2004-05 season ranked No. 45 in the national doubles poll after accumulating a 30-6 overall record. They earned an at-large berth in doubles at the 2005 NCAA Men's Tennis Championships.
The duo and the remainder of the Cardinals squad -- which is ranked No. 68 nationally -- began their 2006 season Wednesday with a 7-0 sweep of Wright State. The team continues play when it hosts IUPUI Friday at 5 p.m. and Sunday when No. 51 Northwestern visits Muncie for a 1 p.m. showdown.
