Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys ranked in top 25; Byrnes ranked 27th
January 11, 2006 | Cowboy Tennis
“The team ranking shows the respect we're getting for being so good over the past few years,” said coach James Wadley.
Last season, OSU began the season ranked No. 32, but climbed as high as 10th before ending the season ranked 17th.
During one of the program's best seasons, the Cowboys finished as the runner-up in the Big 12 Tournament for the second time in three years and nearly upset eventual champion, UCLA, in February.
The Cowboys are joined in the top 25 by Big 12 opponents Baylor (7), Texas A&M (13), Texas (22) and Texas Tech (23).
Junior Daniel Byrnes is the lone Cowboy to earn a national ranking after two years of continual improvement.
After finishing the spring season with a 21-5 record, Byrnes defeated teammate Tomas Bohunicky in the 2005 Wilson/ITA Men's Central Region Championship.
“From being our four or five to being ranked No. 1 in the region and No. 27 nationally is a huge accomplishment,” Wadley said.
This spring, Wadley will look to Byrnes to fill a void left by Mark Van Elden, who ended his career last season as the Cowboy's top player, ranked 30 nationally.
“It's a different world being No.1 on the team,” Wadley said. “It's a tougher challenge against tougher opponents.”
Byrnes played limited matches in the fall due to an arm injury, but Wadley said it's close to not being an issue as the Cowboys prepare to begin the season.
“His arm is 90 percent healthy, so the sky's the limit for him,” Wadley said.
