After a surprise top four finish in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference with a squad of freshmen and sophomores in 2025, G-MAC coaches expect the Hillsdale College men's tennis team to be in the top four squads again for the 2026 season.

Hillsdale was picked to finish fourth in the G-MAC in the conference's Preseason Coaches poll, released on Tuesday afternoon. Four-time defending champion Tiffin was picked to finish first with five first-place votes, but the coaches are expecting a close battle at the top with Northwood receiving four first place votes and finishing just three votes behind the Dragons in the standings. 2025 runner-up Findlay was picked to finish third. You can find the full poll below. 

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 without 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 will find out exactly where they stand in conference play right off the bat, opening the conference schedule with three straight matches against the top three votegetters in the preseason poll, beginning with a trip to Midland to play Northwood on March 22. You can find the full schedule here. 

2026 Men's Tennis Coaches Preseason Poll
1. Tiffin (5)- 70
2. Northwood (4)- 67
3. Findlay- 57
4. Hillsdale- 51
5. Walsh- 50
6. Cedarville- 35
7. Ashland- 30
8. Thomas More- 28
9. Kentucky Wesleyan- 17