ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) released the 2025 Women’s Tennis Preseason Coaches Polls on Wednesday with the University of Northwestern Eagles predicted to win the North Division and the Principia College Panthers predicted to win the South Division. The polls were voted on by all the head coaches in each respective division. Coaches cannot vote for their own team.
2025 UMAC Women's Tennis North Division Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Northwestern | 24 (4)
2. UW-Superior | 22 (2)
3. Martin Luther | 15
4. Minnesota Morris | 14
5. Bethany Lutheran | 10
6. Crown | 5
2025 UMAC Women's Tennis South Division Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Principia | 15 (3)
2. Greenville | 14 (2)
3. Webster | 10
4. Mississippi | 6
5. Westminster | 5
The top two teams in each division at the close of the regular season will compete in the UMAC Tournament at Baseline Tennis Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota with the semifinals scheduled for Friday, May 2 and the championship slated for Saturday, May 3. The tournament champion will receive the UMAC’s automatic qualifying bid to the 2025 NCAA DIII Women’s Tennis Championship to compete in the national tournament.
NORTH DIVISION
#1: Northwestern Eagles (24 Points, 4 First-Place Votes)
The University of Northwestern Eagles led the North Division preseason poll with 24 points and four first-place votes from their conference competitors. Last year, Northwestern went 17-11 overall with a 4-1 record in the UMAC to place second in the North Division.
UNW entered the 2024 UMAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed from the North Division. Northwestern fell 5-1 in the semifinals to the Principia Panthers, who went on to become tournament champions.
Head Coach:
- Matt Swigart | 13th Season
Top Returners:
- Abby Johnson | Jr.
- 2x First Team All-Conference, 3x UMAC Player of the Week, 2024 Academic All-Conference
- NCCAA Student-Athlete of the Week (4/15/24), 2024 NCCAA Scholar-Athlete
- 2024: 19-9 Singles, 18-9 Doubles | 2024: 4-0 in UMAC Singles, 4-0 in UMAC Doubles
- Career: 29-18 Singles, 33-19 Doubles, 7-1 in UMAC Singles, 13-0 in Conference Doubles
- Elise Jarchow | Sr.
- 2022 First Team All-Conference, 2024 Second Team All-Conference, 2023 Honorable Mention All-Conference, 4x UMAC Player of the Week, 3x Academic All-Conference
- NCCAA Student-Athlete of the Week (4/22/24), 2023 ITA Scholar Athlete, 2024 NCCAA Scholar-Athlete
- 2024: 15-12 Singles, 20-8 Doubles | 2024: 3-1 in UMAC Singles, 3-1 in UMAC Doubles
- Career: 50-25 Singles, 55-19 Doubles, 20-1 in UMAC Singles, 18-2 in UMAC Doubles
- Aby Ross | So.
- 2024 Second Team All-Conference, UMAC Player of the Week (2/13/24), 2024 Academic All-Conference
- 2024: 15-6 Singles, 12-9 Doubles | 2024: 2-0 in UMAC Singles, 2-0 in UMAC Doubles
- Caitlyn Swigart | Sr.
- Career: 3-0 Singles, 9-4 Doubles, 2-0 in UMAC Singles, 4-0 in UMAC Doubles
#2: UW-Superior Yellowjackets (22 Points, 2 First-Place Votes)
The University of Wisconsin-Superior placed second in the preseason poll with 22 points and two first-place votes. The Yellowjackets won the North Division last year with a 5-0 UMAC record while going 16-9 overall.
UW-Superior was the No. 1 North Division seed in the 2024 UMAC Tournament. The Yellowjackets defeated the Greenville Panthers 5-2 in the semifinals to advance to the championship match, where they fell 5-1 to Principia.
Head Coach:
- CeeJay Schaffner | 6th Season
Top Returners
- Andreina Tejada | Jr.
- 2023 UMAC POY, 2024 All-UMAC Second Team
- 2024: Singles – 12-7, Doubles – 12-11
- Claudia Curtis | So.
- 2024 All-UMAC Second Team
- 2024: Singles – 14-7, Doubles – 10-11
- Giulia Araujo de Barros | So.
- 2024 All-UMAC HM
- 2024: Singles – 11-22, Doubles – 6-11
#3: Martin Luther Knights (15 Points)
The Martin Luther College Knights took third in the preseason poll with 15 points. MLC finished third in the 2024 regular season with a 3-2 conference record, going 6-8 overall.
Head Coach:
Top Returners:
- Britney Prahl | So.
- First Team All-UMAC 2024
- 2024: Singles Record: 6-7, Doubles Record: 4-8
- Abigail Schewe | Sr.
- 2024: Singles Record: 6-7, Doubles Record: 6-7
- Josephine Bieberitz | Sr.
#4: Minnesota Morris Cougars (14 Points)
The University of Minnesota Morris Cougars placed fourth in the preseason poll with 14 points. Last year, UMM finished fourth in the North Division with a 2-3 conference record, going 3-11 overall.
Head Coach:
- Consuelo Michel | 3rd Season
Top Returners:
- Valerie Gall | Sr.
- 2023 Honorable Mention All UMAC
- 2024: 4-10 singles, 2-10 doubles
- Marybeth Tautges | Sr.
- 2024, 2023 Academic All-UMAC, 2023 UMAC Sportsmanship Award
- 2024: 4-8 singles, 2-11 doubles
- Allison Bruhn | Jr.
- 2024 Honorable Mention All-UMAC; 2024, 2023 Academic All-UMAC, 2023 Second Team All-UMAC
- 2024 CSC Academic All -District
- 2024: 5-8 singles, 4-9 doubles
#5: Bethany Lutheran Vikings (10 Points)
The Bethany Lutheran Vikings placed fifth in the preseason poll with 10 points. BLC finished fifth in the North Division last year with a 1-4 UMAC record and a 2-8 overall record.
Head Coach:
- Michael Janes | 1st Season
Top Returners:
- Sailor Mohlenbrock | Jr.
- 2024: Singles 3-7, Doubles 2-8
- Emily Yehle | Jr.
- 2024: Singles 4-6, Doubles 2-8
- Elissa Moonen | Sr.
- 2024: Singles 2-8, Doubles 1-8
#6: Crown Polars (5 Points)
The Crown College Polars placed sixth in the preseason poll with 5 points. Crown finished sixth in the North Division last year with a 0-5 UMAC record and a 1-13 overall record.
Head Coach:
- Keagan Blancke | 1st Season
Top Returners:
- Annie Doyle | Jr.
- Amanda Hesler | Sr.
- Marissa Otremba | Sr.
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SOUTH DIVISION
#1: Principia Panthers (15 Points, 3 First-Place Votes)
The Principia College Panthers led the South Division preseason poll with 15 points and three first-place votes from their conference competitors. Last year, Principia went 12-7 overall with a 5-0 record in the UMAC to win the South Division.
The Panthers entered the 2024 UMAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed from the South Division. Principia defeated Northwestern in the semifinals 5-1 and then took a 5-1 victory over UW-Superior in the championship to clinch the tournament title; their first UMAC championship in program history. With the UMAC automatic bid, the Panthers advanced to the NCAA tournament where they fell 5-0 to Grinnell.
Head Coach:
- Shannon Carney | 15th Season
Top Returners:
- Mafe Quintero | So.
- 2024 UMAC South Rookie of the Year; 2024 UMAC South 1st Team
- 2024: Singles 12-3, Doubles 10-6
- Saray Hernandez Cisneros | Jr.
- 2023 UMAC South Rookie of the Year; 2023, 2024 UMAC South 1st Team
- 2024: Singles 10-7, Doubles 11-7
- Gaby Quintero | Sr.
- 2022 SLIAC Rookie of the Year; 2022 SLIAC 1st Team, 2024 UMAC South 2nd Team
- 2024: Singles 8-6, Doubles 11-6
#2: Greenville Panthers (14 Points, 2 First-Place Votes)
The Greenville University Panthers placed second in the preseason poll with 14 points and two first-place votes. The Panthers placed second in the South Division last year with a 1-2 UMAC record while going 10-8 overall.
Greenville was the No. 2 North Division seed in the 2024 UMAC Tournament. The Panthers fell 5-2 to the UW-Superior Yellowjackets in the semifinals.
Head Coach:
- Brett Brannon | 7th Season
Top Returners
- Addie Brannon-Wiegand | Sr.
- 1st Team UMAC
- 2024: 10-12 Singles Record, 15-10 Doubles Record
- Irlanda Oliver | So.
- 1st Team UMAC
- 2024: 6-8 Singles Record, 6-8 Doubles Record
- Lanie Carder | So.
- 2nd Team UMAC
- 2024: 15-5 Singles Record, 14-11 Doubles Record
#3: Webster Gorloks (10 Points)
The Webster University Gorloks took third in the preseason poll with 10 points. Webster finished third in the 2024 regular season with a 1-1 South Division record, going 12-7 overall.
Head Coach:
Top Returners:
- Journee White
- 5-1 at #1 singles, 7-1 at #1 doubles fall 2023
- Kylie Chitwood
- 9-7 at #1 & #2 singles, 9-2 at #1 doubles, 2-4 at #2 doubles
- Maddie Mena
- 8-9 at 2 & 3 singles, 8-10 at 1, 2 & 3 doubles
#4: Mississippi Owls (6 Points)
The Mississippi University for Women Owls placed fourth in the preseason poll with 6 points. The W finished fourth in the South Division last year with a 0-2 conference record, going 3-9 overall.
Head Coach:
- Brian Merkel | 1st Season
Top Returners:
- Mallory Parker | Sr.
- 2024: 1-7, 2-7
#5: Westminster Blue Jays (5 Points)
The Westminster College Blue Jays placed fifth in the preseason poll with 5 points. Westminster did not compete last spring.
Head Coach:
- Samantha Pennington | 2nd Season