Feb. 20, 2003

LAS VEGAS - Even without playing a match, the UNLV women's team improved two spots to No. 18 in the season's fifth edition of the Omni Hotels Intercollegiate Tennis Rankings, which were released by the national governing body Thursday.

The Lady Rebels (2-1) were at No. 20 last time after reaching a season-high 15 during the first week of February. A 6-1 loss at Fresno State on February 8 knocked UNLV out of the top 15 but the team looks to get on track with two matches this weekend. The Lady Rebels host UC Riverside Friday at 2 p.m. and San Jose State Sunday at 10 a.m.

The nation's No. 1 team, Duke, will visit UNLV for the first time ever on March 12.

The Rebel men's team was not ranked.

The next edition of the singles and doubles rankings will be released February 26.

2003 OMNI HOTELS ITA WOMEN'S TENNIS RANKINGS
PL  SCHOOL (NO. 1 VOTES)
1.  Duke (8)2.  Florida3.  Southern Cal4.  California5.  Stanford6.  Georgia7.  North Carolina8.  Arizona State9.  UCLA10. Vanderbilt11. Tennessee12. William & Mary13. Miami14. Texas15. South Alabama16.     Northwestern17. Fresno State18. UNLV19. Notre Dame20. Washington