CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) today announced the addition of Drake University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha as affiliate members in men's tennis, beginning with the 2026-27 academic year.
With the addition of Drake and Omaha, the MAC will have seven programs competing in men's tennis. The Conference's membership will include four full member institutions (Ball State, Buffalo, Toledo and Western Michigan) and three affiliate members (Drake, UIC and Omaha).
“I am pleased to welcome Drake University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha as affiliate members in men's tennis,” said MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher. “Both institutions bring strong traditions of competitive success and a commitment to providing an outstanding student-athlete experience. Their addition further strengthens the level of competition within our men's tennis championship and continues to enhance the profile of the sport within the Mid-American Conference.”
Drake joins the MAC after eight seasons competing in the Summit League. Over that stretch, the Bulldogs won five total conference titles including one regular season crown and four tournament championships, the most recent coming in 2023. Prior to 2018, Drake had a storied history in the Missouri Valley Conference dating back 1929 in which they won nine regular season championships and nine tournament titles. The Bulldogs recently finished year two under head coach Justin Stuckey. Drake had a historic season in 2026, winning a program record 14 matches in a row before finishing No. 8 team in the ITA Regional Rankings.
“We want to thank Dr. Steinbrecher, the directors of athletics and presidents of Mid-American Conference institutions for extending an invitation to our men’s tennis program to join their league,” said Drake Director of Athletics Brian Hardin. “The MAC is a terrific conference with wonderful tennis programs. We look forward to the competition and new campuses awaiting our team.”
The Omaha men's tennis program began competition in 2008 and has competed in The Summit League since 2012-13. The Mavericks have twice advanced to the Summit League Championship match, reaching the conference finals in 2017 and 2021. Omaha also earned national recognition in 2017 when Razvan Grigorescu qualified for the NCAA Singles Championship. The program currently competes at Miracle Hill Tennis Center and Koch Family Tennis Center under the leadership of head coach Hunter Clark.
“The MAC is an outstanding fit for Omaha Men’s Tennis and provides a clear path for our program to continue elevating competitively,” said Omaha Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Adrian Dowell. “As conference realignment impacted the future of men’s tennis within the Summit League, it was important that we identified a home that offers stability, strong competition and championship opportunities for our student-athletes. We are grateful to Commissioner Steinbrecher and the MAC for their confidence in Omaha and look forward to building new rivalries while competing at the highest level of the sport.”
The MAC has sponsored men's tennis since 1947, making it one of the league's longest-standing championship sports. Throughout its history, MAC men's tennis has featured a tradition of competitive excellence and NCAA postseason success, with Ball State, Buffalo, Toledo, and Western Michigan earning national recognition. This past season, Buffalo captured both the 2026 MAC regular season and tournament championships, earning the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
DRAKE UNIVERSITY
Drake University, located in Des Moines, Iowa, is a nationally recognized private university founded in 1881. With more than 4,500 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, Drake offers over 150 academic programs across seven colleges and schools. Known for its commitment to experiential learning, personalized mentorship, and community engagement, Drake prepares students to lead meaningful lives and careers.
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA
Located in one of America's best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska's premier metropolitan university. With nearly 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of 10 members of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio.
Current full member MAC institutions include the University of Akron, Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, the University at Buffalo, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Kent State University, the University of Massachusetts, Miami University, Ohio University, the University of Toledo and Western Michigan University.
