NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Christopher Newport moved up across the Intercollegiate Tennis Association men's tennis rankings released this week.

The Captains appeared for the first time this year in the ITA's NCAA Division III top 30, replacing Texas-Tyler in the 30th spot.

In the South Atlantic Region, CNU rose one position to No. 8. The Captains will be looking to knock off fourth-ranked North Carolina Wesleyan if those teams uphold their top-two seedings and meet in the USA South Athletic Conference tournament final on Sunday morning in Burlington, N.C.

In singles, sophomore Eric Shulman climbed a spot to No. 4 in the South Atlantic Region rankings, compared to the March 16 version.

Shulman, named the USA South Player of the Year, is 14-5 in singles and has lost just once to a Division III opponent this season: to Vassar's Mike Mattelson, who is No. 2 in the East Region.

If Shulman stays in the top eight after all of the leagues play their conference tournaments, the Deep Run High graduate will earn a spot in the 32-man NCAA singles tournament.

Also in South Atlantic singles, Gian Heyer -- who also consistently has beaten his D-III opponents all season despite playing behind Shulman in the lineup -- climbed six positions to No. 11. If Heyer (14-3 in singles) can keep winning, the Swiss native has an outside chance of qualifying for the national draw. He joined Shulman on the All-USA South first team announced Thursday.