TEMPE, Ariz. -- Highlighted by historic national rankings for junior Reagan Delp and rookie Tessa Trate, the Christopher Newport women's tennis team hauled in a record-high finish in the Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Final National Rankings of 2020-21, listed at No. 24 in the nation. Delp earned the highest singles ranking in program history, tapped the 16th best Division III individual, and rookie Tessa Trate also made history by becoming the first freshman to finish the season nationally ranked in both singles and doubles. 

With Delp ranked No. 16 and Trate pulling in a No. 36 designation, it marks the first time in CNU women's tennis lore that a pair of Captains are ranked in the final singles poll of the year. With doubles partner Amanda Yermal, Trate also snagged a No. 25 national ranking in pairs play as the duo become just the third CNU tandem to finish the year in the national rankings. Trate joins all-time great Johanna Ranta-aho as the only players in program history to earn national rankings in both singles and doubles in the same season. 

As a team, Christopher Newport bested its program high final ranking by one, earning a spot in the final top-25 for just the second time. The previous mark was set in 2018 when the Captains were No. 25 in the final poll; this season, despite the shortened season due to COVID-19, CNU finished up No. 24 in the nation. Led by head coach David Weiner, the Captains finished the year with a 7-7 overall record and a 3-1 mark in conference play. After the abbreviated regular season, Christopher Newport advanced to the conference championship match for the sixth consecutive season

Together, Delp and Trate became the fourth and fifth Captains to earn singles national rankings in their career. They join Amy Lawrence (1992), McKinney Harwood (2015), and Johanna Ranta-aho (2018, 2019, 2020) before them, 

Delp separated herself as one of the most accomplished players in program history in 2020-21 when she advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division III Singles National Championships. The CNU junior won nine matches this season, including seven at No. 1 singles as the Captains navigated a challenging regular season schedule. With her performance at the national championships, defeating WashU senior Ally Persky (6-1, 6-0) in the opening round and taking down 8th-ranked Risa Fukushige (6-3, 6-4) in the Round of 16, Delp established a new standard of success for Christopher Newport in singles play. 

While Delp stole the headlines, Tessa Trate put together an exceptional rookie campaign for CNU while playing right behind her at No. 2. Trate was 7-3 overall, including a pair of wins against Division I competition as the Captains took on Norfolk State. Her only two losses in the regular season came to 22nd-ranked Anjie Kashyap (Johns Hopkins) and a marathon setback to regionally-ranked Gabi Moss (Washington & Lee), 2-6, 7-6 (4), 9-11. She avenged the loss to Moss in their second matchup, winning 5-7, 7-6, 10-6. 

Not just excelling in singles play, Trate paired with Yermal for another win over Norfolk State and eight total victories overall. The pair played at No. 1 exclusively and finished the year a perfect 4-0 in conference play. They were named Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Doubles Team of the Year and Trate also secured Conference Rookie of the Year plaudits. 

Trate and Yermal join an exclusive group of just three CNU pairings to earn a spot in the final poll. McKinney Harwood and partner Alexandra Drye were pegged No. 17 in the nation in 2017 before Ranta-aho and Olivia Reed were ranked No. 18 in 2021's final ranking. 

In addition to the national rankings, the Atlantic South regional rankings were also released by the ITA. Christopher Newport checked in at No. 7 as a team while Delp and Trate were ranked No. 7 and 10, respectively, on the singles list. Rounding out the regional rankings, Yermal and Trate were picked No. 9 in doubles. 

For a complete list of the final national and regional rankings, click here.