EDISON, NJ (Jan. 12, 2026) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) has announced the 2026 Preseason Coaches’ Polls for men’s and women’s tennis, as voted on by the league's head coaches. Fairfield University was picked as the men’s preseason favorite and Quinnipiac University was chosen as the women’s preseason selection.
Fairfield garnered 73 points, with four first place votes to lead the men’s poll. The Stags enter the 2026 spring slate after going 5-3 in MAAC play and 9-9 overall in 2025, finishing in a three-way tie for second place. Fairfield would make its 12
th appearance in the MAAC postseason dating back to 2011, falling in the first round in an upset to No. 6 Rider University. The Stags own three MAAC Regular Season titles (2009, 2023, 2024) and five MAAC Championship crowns (1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, and 2012).
Defending MAAC Men’s Champion, Quinnipiac, was tabbed one vote shy of Fairfield, receiving 72 points and an identical four first place votes to finish second in the poll. 2025 MAAC runner-up, Rider, was picked third with 64 votes and the final first place vote. Marist University (48) and Siena University (48) tied for fourth place to round out the top half of the poll.
2025 MAAC Women’s Champion, Quinnipiac was the top selection in the women’s poll, collecting a conference-high seven first place votes and a total of 79 points. The Bobcats continued their regular season reign in 2025, winning their 10
th MAAC Regular Season title, while going a perfect 8-0 in MAAC play. It was the program’s ninth perfect conference regular season and Quinnipiac is 67-2 overall in MAAC regular season conference play since joining the league in 2013-14. The Bobcats capped off the 2025 season by defeating Fairfield, 4-3, in the MAAC Championship, securing the program’s third MAAC title in the past four seasons and eighth total MAAC trophy.
2025 runner-up Fairfield, was picked second in the poll, receiving 72 points and the remaining two first place votes. Sacred Heart University (51), Niagara University (50), and Marist (48) rounded out the top five of the poll.
The full Men’s and Women’s Preseason Coaches’ Polls can be found below.
| 2026 Men’s Tennis Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Fairfield |
73 (4) |
| 2 |
Quinnipiac |
72 (4) |
| 3 |
Rider |
64 (1) |
| T4 |
Marist |
48 |
| T4 |
Siena |
48 |
| 6 |
Sacred Heart |
35 |
| 7 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
31 |
| 8 |
Niagara |
19 |
| 9 |
Merrimack |
15 |
| 2026 Women’s Tennis Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Quinnipiac |
79 (7) |
| 2 |
Fairfield |
72 (2) |
| 3 |
Sacred Heart |
51 |
| 4 |
Niagara |
50 |
| 5 |
Marist |
48 |
| 6 |
Siena |
39 |
| 7 |
Rider |
33 |
| 8 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
24 |
| 9 |
Merrimack |
9 |
The 2026 MAAC Men's & Women's Tennis Championships are a four-team, single-elimination championships taking place on April 25-26, 2026 at Mercer County Park Tennis Center in West Windsor, NJ. The 2026 Championships will be the 14
th consecutive time the event is held at Mercer County Park Tennis Center dating back to the 2012 MAAC Men's & Women's Tennis Championships. For all information regarding the 2026 MAAC Men's & Women’s Tennis Championships, please visit
maacsports.com/tennis.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University.
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