Kentucky junior Kim Coventry, the school?s top returning women?s tennis performer, will begin the upcoming season as the No. 15 ranked singles player, according to Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The preseason ranking is the junior?s career-best.

The Melbourne, Australia native, finished last season as the No. 28 ranked player after winning 35 matches and exiting in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to the now No. 2 ranked Suzi Babos of the University of California.

Coventry begins the season as the fourth-highest ranked player in the Southeastern Conference, behind No. 1 Jennifer Magley of Florida, No. 4 Robin Stephenson of Alabama, and No. 6 Shadisha Robinson of Georgia.

Coventry also joins with teammate Joelle Schwenk, a junior from Coconut Creek, Fla., to have the No. 9 doubles tandem in the preseason rankings. The ranking surpasses their previous high of No.11 set in January 2005. The duo finished last year ranked No. 32 after reaching the NCAA Doubles Championships.