ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) released the 2026 Men’s Tennis Preseason Coaches Polls on Thursday with UW-Superior predicted to win the North Division and Greenville 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.

2026 UMAC Men's Tennis North Division Preseason Coaches Poll
 

Place	School	Points
1	UW-Superior (4)	16
2	Northwestern	12
3	Bethany Lutheran (1)	11
4	Martin Luther	7
5	Crown	4

2026 UMAC Men's Tennis South Division Preseason Coaches Poll
 

Place	School	Points
1	Greenville (4)	16
2	Principia  (1)	12
3	The W	9
3	Webster	9
5	Westminster	4

The top two teams in each division at the close of the regular season will compete in the UMAC Tournament with the semifinals scheduled for Friday, May 1 and the championship slated for Saturday, May 2. The tournament champion will receive the UMAC’s automatic qualifying bid to the 2026 NCAA DIII Men’s Tennis Championship to compete in the national tournament.

NORTH
#1 UW-Superior: 16 points
The Yellowjackets were picked first with 16 points and four first-place votes from their conference competitors.

Head Coach: CeeJay Schaffner | 7th Season |

Top Returners

• Igor Guetten Chaves, Sr. |Two-time UMAC Player of the Year|Two-time First-team All-Conference | 2025: 9-9 Singles, 12-7 Doubles |
• Yash Chhabra, Jr. | Two-time Second-team All-Conference | 2025: 7-11 Singles, 4-13 Doubles |
• Sharan Kanugovi, Jr. | First-team All-Conference | 2025: 9-11 Singles, 5-16 Doubles |

#2 Northwestern: 12 points
The Eagles were tabbed second with 12 points.

Head Coach: Matt Swigart | 14th Season |

Top Returners

• Carson Haack, Jr. | Two-time First-team All-Conference | 2024 UMAC North Division Rookie of the Year| 2025: 9-15 Singles, 14-11 Doubles | 2025: 3-1 UMAC Singles, 3-1 UMAC Doubles |
• Griffen Jarchow, Sr. |Two-time First-team All-Conference | 2023 Second-team All-Conference | 2025 CSC Academic All-District | 2025 ITA Scholar-Athlete | 2025: 9-15 Singles, 11-13 Doubles | 2025: 3-1 UMAC Singles, 2-1 UMAC Doubles |
• Sam Majerus, So. | 2025 Second-team All-Conference | 2025 ITA Scholar-Athlete | 2025: 7-17 Singles, 15-9 Doubles | 2025: 2-1 UMAC Singles, 3-1 UMAC Doubles |
• Isaac Thomforde, So. | 2025 All-UMAC Honorable Mention | 2025 ITA Scholar-Athlete | 2025: 6-14 Singles, 10-11 Doubles | 2025: 0-1 UMAC Singles, 1-1 UMAC Doubles |
• Caleb Swigart, So. | 2025 UMAC North Division Rookie of the Year |2025 First-team All-Conference | 2025: 13-10 Singles, 9-13 Doubles | 2025: 3-1 UMAC Singles, 3-1 UMAC Doubles

#3 Bethany Lutheran: 11 points
The Vikings were selected third and earned the final first-place vote.

Head Coach: Michael Janes| 2nd Season|

Top Returner

• Ezra Greenmen, Jr. | 2025 All Conference| 2025: Singles - 2-9, Doubles - 0-12 |

#4 Martin Luther: 7 points
The Knights were tabbed fourth with seven points.

Head Coach: Paul Koelpin | 4th season |

Top Returners

• Johannes Bourman, Sr
• Matthew Koelpin
• Eli Stern, Junior

#5 Crown: 4 points
The Polars rounded out the poll with four points.

Head Coach: Keagan Blancke | 2nd season|

Top Returners

• David Comings, Sr | Second-team All-Conference
• Matt Comings, So 
• Dawson Richardson, Sr | UMAC Sportsmanship Award 2024

SOUTH
#1 Greenville: 16 points
The Panthers were picked first and received four first-place votes from their conference colleagues.

Head Coach: Brett Brannon | 24th season |

Top Returners

• Colton Hulme, So | UMAC Rookie of the Year| Second-team All-Conference | 2025: 15-7 Singles, 5-2 Doubles |
• Jean Sanabria, Jr | Honorable Mention UMAC | 2025: 20-3 Singles, 11-10 Doubles |
• Jade Dynamic, So| 2025: 8-1 Singles, 14-8 Doubles |

#2 Principia: 12 points
The Panthers were tabbed second and received the final first-place vote.

Head Coach: Damian Jones | 1st season

Top Returners

• Jesus Soto Bosa, Sr. | First-team All-Conference | 2025: Singles 14-8 Doubles 16-6
• Ernesto Botero, Sr. | Second-team All-Conference | 2025: Singles 12-6 Doubles 12-8
• Alvaro Martin Moliz, Jr. | 2025: Did not play | 2024 Second-team All-Conference | 2024: Singles 9-7 Doubles 7-7

#3 The W: 9 points
The Owls were selected third with nine points.

Head Coach: Hayden Embry | 1st Season |

Top Returners

• Paul Gaines
• Tyler Bailey 

#3 Webster: 9 points
The Gorloks were picked third with nine points.

Head coach: John Black | 6th season |

Top Returners

• Eli Bartek, Sophomore | 2025 records: 4-5 singles, 4-7 doubles| played #4 singles/#2 doubles
• Nick Granada, Senior | 2025 records: 5-5 singles, 5-1 doubles |played #5 singles/#3 doubles
• Jack Forlenza, Senior | UMAC Honorable Mention | 2025 records: 10-7 singles, 11-8 doubles| played #5/#6 singles & #3 doubles
• Shawn Smith, Sophomore |2025 records: 4-8 singles, 4-4 doubles |Saw action at #6 singles & #3 doubles

#5 Westminster: 4 points
The Blue Jays rounded out the poll with four points.

Head coach: Dr. Jessica Brown (Athletic Director)| 1st season|

Top Returners

• David M. Martinez, So| 2025: Singles Record 0-1, Doubles Record 0-3 |
• Mitch Bashfield, Jr | 2025: Singles Record 0-2, Doubles Record 0-1 |
• Robert Lewis, So | 2025: Singles Record 0-3, Doubles Record 0-1|