Valparaiso University men’s tennis seniors Jeffrey Schorsch (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) and Charlie Emhardt (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) will start the 2016-17 season ranked in the ITA preseason rankings for the second straight season, as the Crusaders’ lead doubles duo is ranked 55^th nationally. In addition, Schorsch earned a spot on the ITA’s preseason singles rankings for a second consecutive year as well, opening the year ranked 111^th among singles competitors.

Playing together the vast majority of the time over their first three seasons at Valpo, Emhardt and Schorsch have teamed up for a 78-13 record in doubles action as Crusaders, including a 15-1 mark in Horizon League play. The duo is far and away the two winningest players in program history in doubles action, both in total victories (Emhardt 86, Schorsch 82) and winning percentage (Emhardt .835, Schorsch .812), and combined hold the program’s top-six single-season win totals in doubles play.

Schorsch has been a standout in singles play for the Crusaders as well, posting an 84-21 record over his first three years at Valpo and setting the top-three single-season win totals in program history, including a school-record 29 victories last season. The two-time defending Horizon League Player of the Year enjoyed a strong summer, winning the Valparaiso Open and advancing through the qualifying draw of the Ursula Beck Pro Tennis Classic – his first-ever professional tournament – into the main draw, defeating ITA preseason #12 Konrad Zieba of Northwestern along the way.

In addition to the preseason rankings, Schorsch earned a spot in the singles qualifying draw for the 2016 Saint Francis Health System ITA Men's All-American Championships, while the team of Emhardt and Schorsch received a berth in the qualifying draw for the doubles tournament. Action for the qualifying draws begins Oct. 3 at Tulsa, with main draw play starting on Oct. 6.