COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina men’s tennis opens its fall campaign this weekend with a pair of entries in the ITA Preseason Rankings. The doubles tandem of juniors Chip Cox and Nick Jones are No. 4 in the nation, while sophomore Andrew Adams comes in at No. 62 in singles.

Cox and Jones finished the 2011-12 season ranked No. 29 in the nation after earning a spot in the NCAA Doubles Championships. The duo went 5-4 on the season against nationally-ranked opponents, including a victory over the then-No. 9 tandem from Florida to clinch the doubles point for the Gamecocks in the regular-season finale. Cox and Jones were 6-4 in SEC action, playing in the No. 1 spot in the lineup.

Adams earned ITA Carolina Region Rookie of the Year honors after turning in a 28-10 overall record last season. The SEC All-Freshman selection led the team in singles victories, which were the fourth most by a freshman in school history. Adams was one of just nine Gamecock freshmen since 1985 to compete solely in one of the top three singles positions and was second among the group in dual-match winning percentage at .769 (20-6), just behind four-time All-SEC selection Guillaume Legat. Adams won six of his last seven matches last season, including three of four against nationally-ranked opponents.

Overall, the SEC has 24 entries among the top 125 singles players. Cox and Jones are the second-highest ranked SEC tandem, and the league has three of the nation’s top six doubles teams.

South Carolina opens its fall season this weekend at the Duke Fab Four Invitational.