GRINNELL, Iowa – The Illinois College men's tennis team was picked to finish fourth in the annual Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Grinnell was picked to win the Midwest Conference (MWC) men's tennis championship for the 22nd consecutive season.
The Blueboys qualified for the conference tournament for the first time in program history a year ago. Led by MWC Coach of the Year,
Scott Weakley, IC has eight letterwinners returning from last year's squad. The lone senior on the team,
Tejas Zala, leads a young but experienced squad which opens play on February 24th.
Lake Forest finished second in the poll with 31 points and collected the final first-place vote.
Cornell College picked third overall with 26 points, ahead of IC (19), Lawrence (17), Ripon (12) and Monmouth (6).
Regular season play will culminate with the 2026 MWC Men's Tennis Individual Tournament scheduled for April 25-26 at the Nielsen Tennis Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
The league's top four teams will headline the 2026 MWC Men's Tennis Team Tournament on Friday, April 24. The winner of the single elimination event will receive the MWC tournament title and the automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Tournament.
2026 MWC Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll Results
1. Grinnell (6 first-place votes) – 36 points
2. Lake Forest (1) – 31 points
3. Cornell – 26 points
4. Illinois College – 19 points
5. Lawrence – 17 points
6. Ripon – 12 points
7. Monmouth – 6 points
() – indicates first-place votes
