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BLACKSBURG, Va. - The Virginia Tech men's tennis team received a No. 27 national ranking in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association preseason poll. The ranking is the highest preseason ranking in the program’s history. Tech also had two singles players ranked among the nation’s elite.

Patrick Daciek (So., Severna Park, Md.) is No. 75 in the ITA preseason national rankings after being ranked No. 81 entering the fall season. Daciek, No. 13 in the Atlantic Region, advanced to the Round of 16 at the Wilson/ITA Atlantic Regional tournament in the fall. He was 18-10 during his freshman season including a 6-2 recond in ACC dual matches.

Sebastien Jacques (Jr., Magog, Quebec, Canada) earned a No. 100 national preseason singles ranking after being unranked entering the fall. Jacques, No. 17 in the Atlantic Region, was 5-2 in the fall with two wins over nationally-ranked players including then 12th-ranked Austin Childs (Louisville).

Other Hokies ranked in the Atlantic Region include: No. 9 Yoann Re (Sr., Verdun, Quebec, Canada), No. 11 Luka Somen (So., Karlovac, Croatia), No. 13 Corrado Degl’ Incerti Tocci (So., Reggio Emilia, Italy) and Will Beck (tr.-Jr., Potomac, Md.). Also, Somen/Degl’ Incerti Tocci earned a No. 7 regional ranking in doubles.

The Hokies concluded the 2008-09 season with a 15-8 mark and advanced to the NCAA Championship tournament for the third-consecutive year. Tech finished the season with a No. 27 national ranking and was the fifth-ranked team in the Mideast Region. The Hokies return eight players from last year and will feature two seniors, two juniors, five sophomores and one freshman.

The preseason national poll includes 10 of the 12 ACC teams: No. 2 Virginia, No. 13 Florida State, No. 16 Wake Forest, No. 19 Duke, No. 21 Miami, No. 27 Virginia Tech, No. 28 North Carolina, No. 43 Georgia Tech, No. 52 NC State and No. 66 Clemson.

The Hokies will participate in their final individual tournament of the season, Jan. 22-24, when they host the Hokie Challenge. Tech opens the dual match season on Jan. 27, hosting Kentucky in a 2 p.m. match at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center.

For updates on Virginia Tech men's tennis, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_MTennis).