MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – With seven first-place votes, defending NEWMAC Champions MIT secured the top spot in the 2026 NEWMAC Women’s Tennis Coaches Poll.  Head coach Carol Matsuzaki returns for her 28th season as head coach of her alma mater after leading the Engineers to their 14th NEWMAC Championship last season. MIT brings back a bevy of all-conference and all-region performers, including seniors Alaina Kolli (NEWMAC All-Conference Doubles First Team) and Artemis Pados (NEWMAC All-Conference Doubles First Team), juniors Saina Deshpande (NEWMAC All-Conference Singles First Team, NEWMAC All-Conference Doubles First Team, ITA Northeast Regional Player to Watch) and Anastasia Samets (NEWMAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, NEWMAC All-Conference Doubles Second Team, NEWMAC Academic All-Conference Team), and sophomores Fiona Lee (ITA Northeast Regional Rookie of the Year, ITA All-America (Singles)) and Chloe Zeng (NEWMAC All-Conference Singles First Team, NEWMAC All-Conference Doubles First Team). The Engineers are currently tied for eighth in the ITA national rankings.
 
Babson College claimed the remaining first-place votes to slide into second place.  Head coach Emma Davis returns for the Beavers, who enter the season ranked No. 14 in the ITA national rankings. Babson brings back a trio of all-conference selections after going 15-7 and reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season. Two-time NCAA Doubles national champion Matia Cristiani is unbeaten in conference matches over her first three seasons and earned all-league first-team accolades last spring, while Chaniel Soffer and Alessandra Cristiani both collected All-NEWMAC singles honors a season ago.

Wellesley College claims third place in the poll and is currently ranked 21^st by the ITA, as head coach Brian Kuscher returns for his 17th Season after leading the Blue to the NEWMAC semifinals last season. The Blue, who got off to a 1-0 start in NEWMAC play after defeating Emerson in the fall, return all but one starter from last year, including several NEWMAC All-Conference players in Emilee Pak, Suzanne Xu, Sofia Corte-Real, Sophie Buttorff, Nandini Patel, and Rianna Mariotti.

Landing in the fourth spot is Smith College. Head coach Caitlyn Lawrence returns after leading Smith to the NEWMAC semifinals in 2025. All-Conference performer Ayla Hauser returns after earning second-team All-Conference accolades last season.

Springfield College takes the fifth spot. Head Coach Tanner DeVarennes returns for the Pride, after Springfield won eight matches last season and reached NEWMAC postseason play. Senior Kelly McGoldrick is among the returners for the Pride.

Sixth place goes to Wheaton College, which will be under the direction of Dan Munsey. The Lyons return a solid group of veterans, along with three first-year performers.
 
Emerson College slides into the seventh-place spot. Burke Paxton begins his fifth season at the helm, and the Lions have a strong core of returners looking to improve on last season’s performance.
 
Salve Regina University fills out the eighth-place spot. The Seahawks are under the direction of interim head coach Casey Farrell. Eight upperclassmen return for Salve.
 
Clark University, led by head coach Nathan Lookwhy, rounds out the poll in ninth place. The scarlet and white return nine players from last year’s roster, including No. 1 singles player Larkin Gardinier.
 
The NEWMAC Women’s Tennis Champion will be crowned on May 3.  
 
NEWMAC Women’s Tennis Preseason Coaches Poll  

1. MIT (7)
2. Babson (2)
3. Wellesley 
4. Smith 
5. Springfield
6. Wheaton 
7. Emerson
8. Salve Regina
9. Clark 

About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with eight Associate Members: Brandeis University (Women's Lacrosse, 2026-2027), New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 20 sports.