HONOLULU (March 23, 2016) – After starting the 2016 campaign with a flawless record, the Hawaii Pacific men's tennis team earned the No. 1 spot in the latest Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Division II National Rankings released on Wednesday. HPU's women remained at No. 9, and the two teams combined to produce a program-best three top-ranked individual-and-doubles representatives.
 
The Sharks men (13-0), who started the season at No. 2, also saw their positioning for student-athletes within the singles and doubles ranks rise. Thibaud Berland, a senior from Lusignan, France, was ranked as the top men's singles player in the country after starting the season at No. 6. The right-hander is 11-0 in the top singles position this season and has defeated a host of opponents within the Top 20, including the former top-ranked player.
 
Berland and doubles partner Alexander Meyer, a freshman from Hannover, Germany, were also ranked as the No. 1 duo in the nation after starting the season unranked. The tandem has gone 13-0 this year at the top doubles slot and has helped set the stage for positive results throughout each team competition.
 
The Sharks women (12-3) remained at No. 9 nationally, while its top doubles team of Kristyna Hancarova (sophomore from Karvina, Czech Republic) and Nicole Hoynaski (junior from Sydney, Australia) moved up to No. 1 in the country after starting the season at No. 4. The duo is 13-1 on the season while playing in the top doubles position at each match.
 
Local rival BYU-Hawaii took over the top spot amongst women's teams.
 
HPU's men will face Georgia Gwinnett College, West Florida and Armstrong State April 8-10 in Pensacola, Fla., before gearing up for the PacWest Championships in Surprise, Ariz. The Sharks women play the latter two opponents April 9-10 and will join the men at the conference championships.
 
The complete team-and-individual rankings can be found at http://www.itatennis.com/ResultsAndRankings/Rankings/2015-16_Oracle_ITA_Division_II_Women_s_Collegiate_Tennis_Rankings.htm.