The Intercollegiate Tennis Association released its latest rankings Tuesday and the Wisconsin women’s tennis team has moved up three notches, improving to the No. 33 position. Sophomore Caitlin Burke advanced seven positions, claiming the No. 92 individual spot. But news was not as warming across the board, as the Badgers’ top seed, Katie McGaffigan, formerly No. 53, fell from the top 100.

“I guess I don’t pay too much attention to the rankings and try not to look at that too much,” McGaffigan said.

Asked what it would take to re-enter the select list, she said, “Just hard work.”

McGaffigan’s drop comes on the heels of a five-match losing streak that came to an end Feb. 16 with a straight-set victory over Marquette’s Callan Smith. Four of the aforementioned losses, however, came by way of ranked opponents, including Northwestern’s No. 1, Audra Cohen, from whom McGaffigan did manage to pry six games.

UW coach Patti Henderson appears unfazed by McGaffigan’s movement, focusing instead on the team’s overall performance.

“I’m much more concerned [about the team],” Henderson said. “That’s my focus and that’s our focus. And to be perfectly honest, everything we do is geared toward … getting the team into the NCAAs, getting the team in contending for a Big Ten title. That’s what we’re all about.”

The Badgers’ improved squad ranking comes after a major upset over then-No. 24 New Mexico, a closely contested match with then-No. 5 Northwestern and a shutout of in-state rival Marquette.

Wisconsin’s top doubles team, McGaffigan and Lindsay Martin, formerly No. 27, fell from the top 59 after dropping four of their last five matches, though each loss came at the hands of a ranked opponent.

Nusslock shines

Badger freshman Chelsea Nusslock enters this weekend with the team’s longest-running win streak at three matches. Playing out of the sixth flight, she scored notable wins over New Mexico’s Tiffany Robertson and Northwestern’s Alexis Conill, both in straight sets, before depriving Marquette’s Dominika Dabrowski of a single game in her 6-0, 6-0 victory last week.

“It gives me a lot of confidence, obviously,” Nusslock said of the win streak. “But I feel pretty confident going into most matches.”

Nusslock’s impressive run has also drawn praise from the coaching staff.

“She’s done a great job,” Henderson said of Nusslock. “She beat New Mexico and she beat the girl handily … Against Marquette she stayed on top of her opponent. It’s been great, I think.”

Nusslock, who speculates that either her backhand or mindset is the strongest part of her game currently, continues to improve as she settles into her freshman season.

“She’s doing well,” Henderson said of Nusslock. “She’s working hard and getting better every day.”

‘Rocky Mountain High’

This weekend, the Badgers travel west to take on Brigham Young University and Colorado State Friday and Saturday, respectively. One of the major obstacles facing Wisconsin, in addition to BYU’s No. 22 ranking, is the altitude in which they will have to play.

“We haven’t had a lot of success against BYU at BYU,” Henderson said. “We’ve certainly had more success when they’ve come here, and I think that has something to do with going in and playing in that kind of an environment in the altitude.”

To prepare for the duo of matches, players are having their racquets strung tighter and will be arriving early to acclimatize.

“In an optimal environment when you go to perform in a high altitude … your choices are getting there well in advance and getting seven to 10 days, which is obviously not a possibility,” Henderson said. “Next to that, you’re better off just getting there and getting in one practice, two practices and that’s it.”

The players will also be forced to adapt their game to the mountain environment.

“I guess maybe [I’ll] try to aim not as deep or hit hard,” Nusslock speculated on how she may have to adjust her game, adding that it will be her first time playing in such conditions.

“We need to get our mind frame ready to hit a couple more balls and be a little bit more consistent to start off with,” McGaffigan said.

Overall, Henderson believes the team is doing all they can to prepare, given the inherently constraining nature of players having a collegiate study schedule.

“We’re controlling the things that we can control, and we’ll see what happens,” Henderson said.