CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference released the 2026 Women’s Tennis Preseason Coaches’ Poll on Thursday, seeing Toledo picked first overall. The Rockets received 58 team points, including five first-place votes from the league’s nine head coaches.

The 2025 MAC Champion Buffalo was picked No. 2 in the poll, with 53 team points and two first-place votes. In its first season with the MAC, the University of Massachusetts was picked third with 47 points and one first-place vote. Northern Illinois received the final first-place vote to land No. 4 on the poll, with 44 collected points.

Additionally, the Rockets were predicted to take home the tournament trophy with five votes, while the Bulls received three votes, and UMass received one tournament champion prediction.

The 2026 women’s tennis regular season kicks off on Friday, Jan. 9, with Northern Illinois as the first team to take the court at the Northwestern Invitational. Western Michigan, Miami, and Eastern Michigan will open their respective season the following weekend. Ball State, Bowling Green, UMass, and Toledo will open the spring season the weekend of Jan. 23, while Buffalo faces LeMoyne on Friday, Jan. 30.

The 2026 MAC Women’s Tennis Championship will be played on April 25-26 at the Miami Tennis Courts in Oxford, Ohio.

2026 Women’s Tennis Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(First-place votes)
1. Toledo, 58 pts. (5)
2. Buffalo, 53 pts. (2)
3. Massachusetts, 47 pts. (1)
4. Northern Illinois, 44 pts. (1)
5. Ball State, 40 pts.
6. Miami, 35 pts.
7. Western Michigan, 21 pts.
8. Eastern Michigan, 18 pts.
9. Bowling Green, 8 pts.

MAC Tournament Champion: Toledo (5), Buffalo (3), Massachusetts (1)