NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The quarterfinal round of the 2026 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Men's Tennis Playoffs got underway on Wednesday.
No. 5 Bethel defeated No. 4 St. Olaf, 4-1, to punch its ticket to Friday's semifinals, where the Royals will face regular-season champion Gustavus.
| 2026 MIAC Men's Tennis Playoffs |
NO. 5 BETHEL 4, NO. 4 ST. OLAF 1 | BOX SCORE |
Bethel earned a 4-1 win over St. Olaf in the opening match of the MIAC Men's Tennis Playoffs on Wednesday afternoon in Northfield. After collecting a pair of 6-3 wins at the first and third doubles spots, the Royals logged wins at third, fifth, and sixth singles to secure their spot in the semifinals. Watson Sheard battled back from a 6-0 setback in the first set to win the match's deciding point with a tally of 0-6, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 3 singles. Madden Vanderwerf accounted for the Oles' point with a 6-4, 7-6 (9-7) win at No. 4 singles.
Bethel now moves on to the semifinal round, where the Royals will challenge regular-season conference champion Gustavus in St. Peter at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. Gustavus defeated Bethel, 7-0, in the regular season matchup on February 13. This will be the fourth playoff matchup between the two programs, and the first since the 2022 semifinals. Gustavus is 3-0 all-time against Bethel in the postseason.
In the other semifinal matchup, No. 2 Carleton will host No. 3 St. Scholastica at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The Knights topped the Saints, 5-2, in the regular season matchup on October 5. This is the second time in the last three seasons that Carleton will host St. Scholastica in the conference semifinals. The Knights won the previous postseason meeting, 5-1, in 2024.
The two semifinal winners will meet Saturday on the home court of the highest remaining seed to determine the 2026 MIAC Men's Tennis Playoff Champion. Match dates, times, and locations are subject to change due to weather. Official playoff apparel is available for online purchase via the MIAC Shop powered by UNRestricted MKTG. The online MIAC Shop features officially licensed short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeves, and hooded sweatshirts to commemorate the 2026 playoff tournament. Regular-season team champion gear is also available, with playoff team champion apparel set to be added shortly after the championship match.
The MIAC has a homepage dedicated to the 2026 MIAC Men's Tennis Playoffs, containing schedules, links, and information on each of the five teams in the field. Throughout the tournament, the page will be updated with scores, stats, and updated schedules.
2026 MIAC MEN'S TENNIS PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals | Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2026
No. 5 Bethel 4, No. 4 St. Olaf 1 | Box Score |
Semifinals | Friday, May 1, 2026
No. 5 Bethel at No. 1 Gustavus | 3:30 PM |
No. 3 St. Scholastica at No. 2 Carleton | 4:30 PM |
Championship | Saturday, May 2, 2026
High-seed host | 1:00 PM or 3:30 PM |
*Match dates, times, and locations are subject to change due to weather