XU's Callis, Opata receive preseason ranking from ITA
December 9, 2009

     NEW ORLEANS — All-America seniors Angelina Callis and Anastesia Opata of Xavier University of Louisiana are No. 14 in the 2009-10 preseason Campbell/Intercollegiate Tennis Association NAIA women's doubles rankings.
     It's the first time a Xavier doubles team of either gender has earned an ITA preseason ranking.
     Opata, from Lawrenceville, Ga., and Central Gwinnett High School, is tied for 18th in singles with Fresno Pacific's Vanessa Heroux.
     Callis is from Los Angeles and a graduate of Dorchester (Mass.) High School.
     Callis and Opata were 20-2 in doubles, won their final 13 matches and were No. 8 in the final ITA rankings of 2008-09. Opata also was an ITA and NAIA tournament committee All-American in singles this past year. Opata was 20-5 in singles as a junior and won 18 of her final 19 decisions.
     The ITA and NAIA also compiled regional rankings for the first time. Opata is No. 8 and Callis No. 15 in singles in the South, and the Callis-Opata team is No. 6 in doubles. Callis was 20-7 in singles as a junior.
     Xavier was 19-7 in dual matches this past season, winning the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference championship for the sixth time in eight seasons and reaching the second round of the NAIA National Championship for the fourth time in five seasons. The Gold Nuggets will play their first dual match this season in late January.