SKILLMAN, N.J. – Following a win over the No. 12-ranked singles player in the nation, junior Bea Machado Santos (Lisbon, Portugal) was ranked in the Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Singles Rankings, coming in at No. 98, announced Tuesday. In addition, Mizzou Tennis was ranked at No. 60 and the doubles team of Santos and senior Kelli Hine (New Braunfels, Texas) ranked No. 77.
After not previously being ranked, Santos jumped 27 spots (ITATennis.com ranks the top-125 singles players) to the No. 98 slot, the first ranking of her career. The Tiger junior has posted a 17-9 record in singles play this season, including an 11-2 mark during the spring season and a 10-2 mark at the No. 1 position. On March 5, Santos recorded her first win over a ranked opponent this season, defeating Florida's No. 12-ranked Brooke Austin, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (8). Santos outlasted the reigning SEC Player of the Year in a thrilling three-set match, winning the tiebreaker third set, 10-8.
Mizzou remained in the rankings as a team, ranking No. 60, three spots below its previous position. Mizzou dropped its first two SEC matches of the season to South Carolina and Florida this past weekend, bringing the Tigers to a 12-3 record on the season. Mizzou has already posted the most wins in program history since 2005, when the Tigers won 15 matches.
Mizzou's No. 1 doubles team of Santos and Hine remained ranked, but fell to the No. 77-ranked position in the nation. The team is 15-7 on the season, including an 8-4 mark at the No. 1 position during the spring season.
Mizzou hits the courts again on Saturday for its SEC home opener. The Tigers will host the Razorbacks of Arkansas at Noon CT at the Mizzou Tennis Complex.
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