FARMINGTON, Minn. – Several Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) tennis teams will soon get a jump on the 2026-27 season.
While the majority of the tennis season is played during the spring semester ahead of the NCAA Division III Championships in May, MIAC rules allow for conference play during the fall segment as well. Given the uncertainty of spring weather in Minnesota, the ability to shift matches to the fall is intended to provide increased opportunities for student-athletes to play matches outside and on campus.
Seven conference tennis matches are currently scheduled to be played in September and October, along with several non-conference matches, and the annual Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Midwest Regional and ITA Cup tournaments later this fall.
Gustavus is again scheduled to host both the Men's and Women's ITA Midwest Regionals later this fall. The Women's Regional is scheduled for September 25-28, with the Men's Regional to follow on October 2-5. The ITA Cup - formerly known as the "Small College Nationals" - will be held at the Rome Tennis Center in Rome, Georgia, on October 15-18. Singles and doubles finalists from the Midwest Regional will receive automatic entry into the ITA Cup.
The majority of conference matches will be played in the spring of 2027. The 2026-27 regular season will run through Sunday, May 2, and the conference playoffs will get underway days later. The MIAC Men's Tennis Quarterfinals will take place on Tuesday, May 4, with the Women's Quarterfinals occurring on Wednesday, May 5. The Men's Semifinals will be on Thursday, May 6, followed by the Women's Semifinals the next day. Both the Men's and Women's Playoff championship matches are set for Saturday, May 8. The winner of the MIAC Playoffs will receive the conference's automatic bids to the 2027 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Tennis Championships. The 2027 NCAA Division III Championships are scheduled for May 24-28, 2027, at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center in Claremont, California.
2025-26 FINAL STANDINGS
MIAC Men's Tennis
Gustavus (20-10, 9-0)*#%
Carleton (18-7, 8-1)
St. Scholastica (13-7, 6-3)
St. Olaf (10-9, 6-3)
Bethel (19-4, 6-3)
Macalester (8-8, 4-5)
Concordia (9-8, 3-6)
Hamline (5-14, 2-7)
Saint John's (2-12, 1-8)
Saint Mary's (4-14, 0-9) |
MIAC Women's Tennis
Gustavus (30-6, 10-0)*#%
Carleton (14-6, 9-1)
Bethel (19-3, 8-2)
St. Catherine (16-6, 7-3)
Macalester (10-9, 5-5)
Hamline (11-9, 4-6)
Saint Benedict (6-9, 4-6)
St. Olaf (10-8, 3-7)
Concordia (6-11, 3-7)
Saint Mary's (6-9-1, 1-9)
St. Scholastica (4-17, 1-9) |
*MIAC Regular Season Champion
#MIAC Playoff Champion
%NCAA Championship Participant |
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RULE CHANGES
The 2026-27 ITA Rulebook is scheduled to be published electronically and in hard copy in September 2026. Teams will continue to compete under the seven-point team score format that was formally adopted for all Division III dual matches last season. A special line-up rule is also now in effect when playing a team with fewer than six players, allowing the team with a full roster the flexibility to get matches for the bottom of its lineup without giving up dual match points arising from the defaults. To eliminate any potential gamesmanship with a late doubles substitution, any player pulled through a late doubles sub may no longer play in the singles matches. A late doubles substitution is defined as any doubles sub after the lineup exchange, but before the start of the doubles matches.
AWARD WATCH
The 2026-27 MIAC Tennis All-Conference honors will be announced following the conclusion of the regular season. All-Conference designation is awarded on the basis of a player's win-loss record in MIAC dual meets only. The top 18 players, according to points accrued in both singles and doubles, will receive All-Conference. A men's tennis player must participate in a minimum of five conference matches at any position, and a women's tennis player must participate in a minimum of six conference matches at any position to be eligible for All-Conference. In addition to All-Conference, MIAC coaches will also vote on honorable mention distinction and individual recipients for Singles Player, Doubles Team, Rookie, and Coach of the Year, as well as the senior athlete character awards (Chris Evert Award for women's tennis and Arthur Ashe Award for men's tennis). To be eligible for Rookie of the Year honors, a student-athlete must be a true college first-year student (not a transfer from another institution or an academic sophomore/junior/senior who has not used eligibility.
Throughout the regular season, the MIAC will recognize top individual performances with the MIAC Tennis Athlete of the Week awards. Tennis Athlete of the Week awards will be issued throughout the academic year when at least three MIAC teams have competed in a given week, and nominations for outstanding performances have been submitted.
LOOKING AHEAD
First Non-Conference Match Date: Saturday, September 12
First Conference Match Date: Sunday, September 13
MIAC Playoffs: Tuesday, May 4 (Men's Quarterfinals), Wednesday, May 5 (Women's Quarterfinals), Thursday, May 6 (Men's Semifinals), Friday, May 7 (Women's Semifinals), Saturday, May 8 (Championships)
Men's Season Links: Standings | Schedule | News | Statistics | Athletes of the Week | Playoffs | Record Book
Women's Season Links: Standings | Schedule | News | Statistics | Athletes of the Week | Playoffs | Record Book