The Hillsdale College men's tennis team was one of the most pleasant surprises among Chargers squads in the 2024-25 season. A team that ranked among the youngest in the country, with no juniors or seniors on the roster, posted an above-.500 finish at 11-9 and earned a top four seed in the G-MAC Tournament.

That unexpected success in 2025 has given the Chargers high hopes for the upcoming 2026 spring campaign, as the youngest squad in NCAA DII is now a year older and more experienced, and aiming for bigger things.

Six of Hillsdale's seven rostered players from 2024-25 return this year, including five of the six players most frequently used in singles lineups and all three of the team's All-G-MAC players. Leading the way is 2025 G-MAC co-Freshman of the Year Ryan Papazov, who had a strong first season that saw him step into the No. 1 singles spot for the Chargers. He's joined by juniors Ellis Klanduch and Henry Hammond, now in their third seasons playing major roles for the program and both returning All-G-MAC players, as well as sophomores Alex Cordero Lopez, Sam Plys and Rintaro Goda, all of whom got significant action in the 2024-25 campaign.

The Chargers were in action this fall in the individual portion of the season, showing great promise in two contested events. Hillsdale looked especially strong in doubles at its home event in September, with the pairing of Papazov and Plys besting the team of Cordero Lopez and freshman Patrick Cretu in the final of the top flight after both teams had dispatched with all other competition in earlier rounds.

Cretu and fellow freshman Jackson Clements, both newcomers to the team, also picked up victories in the B Draw at the ITA Midwest Regional this fall, while Hammond also won his opening round match in the B draw and Goda won twice in the C Draw consolation bracket.

Hillsdale played with Klanduch all fall due to injury, and if he can return healthy the Chargers should have a strong lineup capable of going toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the G-MAC, including defending champion Tiffin and perennial contenders Findlay, Northwood and Walsh.

The Chargers open the 2026 spring season at the end of January, with home matches against Spring Arbor on Jan. 30 and Michigan Tech on Jan. 31, both in the Biermann Center.  Hillsdale plays a variety of tough Midwest Region teams in the nonconference, including perennial contenders Wayne State and Ferris State as well as Purdue Northwest and Davenport.

In conference play, Hillsdale will find out where it stands early on, as the Chargers travel to Midland to open the G-MAC schedule on March 22 against Northwood, followed by home matches against Findlay and Tiffin the following weekend. Matching up with three of the four G-MAC Tournament semifinalists in the first three matches could give Hillsdale a leg up in the title race if it has a strong early season performance.

You can find the full 2026 men's tennis schedule here.