COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University men's tennis team, coming off of winning the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference a year ago are slated to take second this year as announced by the conference office Wednesday in the annual Preseason Poll.


The Mustangs tallied 14 points, along with three first-place votes, while Nebraska-Kearney is the pick to win it all with four first-place votes and eight total points. WNMU was closely followed by Metro State (16) and Montana State-Billings (20).


Sophomore Rodrigo Almeida (Arapongas, Brazil/Nene Lourenco High School) was named the Preseason Player of the Year, after he was named the Freshman of the Year last season. He was also named to the First-Team All-RMAC in both of the singles and doubles matches. The Brazil native was named RMAC Player of the Week on April 13, 2011. He compiled a 16-4 singles record at the No. 3 flight.


Senior Johan Weich (Landskrona, Sweden/Filbornaskolan High School) was also named to the All-Conference team. The Sweden native was 11-9 in singles matches, going 5-0 in conference duals and posted his best records of 4-2 at No.3 and 5-3 at No. 4. He teamed with Emmanuel Mensah (Accra, Ghana/ITF Center Home) last year to go 18-7 in doubles actions competing in the top flight.


WNMU will open the season on Feb. 2 in Tucson against Pima Junior College beginning at 1 p.m.