Friedrich, O'Keefe Earn Oracle/ITA Preseason Ranking in Singles and Doubles
Sept. 13, 2016
COLUMBIA, S.C. – A pair of Gamecock men’s tennis players were recognized in the Oracle/ITA preseason rankings on Tuesday. Junior Gabriel Friedrich will begin the fall ranked No. 30, while his classmate Harrison O’Keefe comes in at No. 96. Additionally, as a doubles team, the duo is ranked No. 16.
Friedrich, who finished the 2015-16 campaign at No. 49 in the singles rankings, went 21-18 a season ago. The Porto Alegre, Brazil native notched six wins over ranked opponents and, for his efforts, was tabbed an All-SEC Second Team selection. Friedrich was also named the ITA Carolina Region Player to Watch prior to the NCAA Tournament, where he advanced to the second round.
O’Keefe led all Gamecocks with 31 wins last season, including an 8-4 mark in SEC play. The Salem, Va. native began this past spring ranked No. 65 after a 13-4 record last fall, when he finished as the runner-up at the Georgia Tech Fall Classic and the USTA Clay Court Invitational.
As a doubles team, Friedrich and O’Keefe went 10-5 last season. The pair earned two wins over top-20 opponents on the way to finishing the season at No. 41 in the rankings.
The Gamecocks get the fall underway on Sept. 23 when they split up between the Ivy Plus Tournament (9/23-25) and the Southern Intercollegiates (9/23-26).
