FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. -- Hope College has been selected as the favorite in the 2026 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Women’s Tennis Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league’s nine head coaches.

The Flying Dutch earned all eight first-place votes and 64 total points, edging Kalamazoo College and Calvin University in what projects to be another competitive season across the league.

1. Hope College – 64 points (8 first-place votes)

Hope is coming off a dominant 2025 campaign, finishing 8-0 in MIAA play to secure the program’s 30th regular-season championship while posting a 19-7 overall record. The Flying Dutch went on to capture their 13th-consecutive MIAA Women’s Tennis Tournament title before advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Tournament.

Hope returns senior Amanda Lopykinski, the two-time reigning MIAA Most Valuable Player and a three-time All-MIAA honoree who went 7-1 at No. 1 singles against conference opponents last season. Sophomore Hadley Krygier also returns after earning 2025 All-MIAA First Team honors, finishing 5-0 at No. 2 singles in league play.

Head coach Austin Hunt was named the 2025 MIAA Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year and enters his fifth season at the helm.

2. Kalamazoo College – 55 points (1 first-place vote)

Kalamazoo finished the 2025 regular season with a 7-1 MIAA record and a 13-7 overall mark.

The Hornets return a strong top of the lineup, led by junior Juliana Pullen, a two-time All-MIAA First Team selection, who went 7-1 at No. 1 singles in conference play. Sophomore Addison Lyons, a 2025 All-MIAA First Team selection, also returns after posting a 7-1 record at No. 2 singles against MIAA opponents.

3. Calvin University – 49 points

Calvin finished the 2025 MIAA season at 5-3 and posted a 14-6 overall record.

The Knights return three-time All-MIAA honoree Tessa Holman, who earned Second Team honors in 2025 and recorded three key wins at No. 1 singles against league competition. Sophomore Ana Ornellas is also back after earning four MIAA wins at No. 2 singles during her first collegiate season.

Calvin will feature a new leader, as George Rodriguez begins his first season as head coach. A Ferris State alum, Rodriguez previously spent three seasons as the head women’s tennis coach at Division I George Washington University.

4. Saint Mary’s College – 46 points

Saint Mary’s finished the 2025 regular season with a 6-2 MIAA record and a 16-5 overall mark.

The Belles return two-time All-MIAA honoree Emma Kealy for her senior season after earning Second Team recognition in 2025 and going 5-3 at No. 2 singles against conference opponents. Junior Anna Gardner also returns after posting a 5-3 record at No. 3 singles in MIAA play last season.

5. Adrian College – 32 points

Adrian finished the 2025 conference season at 4-4 with a 6-6 overall record.

The Bulldogs return two-time All-MIAA honoree Hye Jin Elliott, who earned First Team honors in 2025 and went 7-1 at No. 1 singles against league competition. Senior Claire Earley also returns as a two-time All-MIAA selection after earning Second Team honors and posting a 5-3 record at No. 2 singles in conference matches.

6. Trine University – 31 points

Trine posted a 3-5 MIAA record in 2025 and finished the season with a 12-7 overall mark.

The Thunder return senior Elina Locane, a two-time All-MIAA honoree who earned Second Team recognition in 2025 and went 5-3 at No. 1 singles against conference opponents. Sophomore Emma Beehler also returns after competing at No. 2 singles last season.

7. Alma College – 21 points

Alma finished the 2025 MIAA campaign at 2-6 with a 5-6 overall record.

The Scots return juniors Karly Kushner and Leah Wronikowski. Kushner competed in the No. 1 singles position last season, with Wronikowski competing at No. 2 singles.

Alma also welcomes Brandon Ralston back to his alma mater as head coach after he spent the last three seasons leading the program at Olivet.

8. Albion College – 18 points

Albion went 1-7 in conference play in 2025 and finished with a 4-7 overall record.

The Britons bring back juniors Abbie Hubbard and Molly Dunn. Hubbard anchored the No. 1 singles position last season, while Dunn competed at No. 2 singles.

9. The University of Olivet – 8 points

Olivet completed the 2025 MIAA season at 0-8 and finished the year with a 5-15 overall record.

Experience returns at the top of the Comets’ singles order with junior Rylee Lewis at No. 1 and sophomore Amelia Girard at No. 2.

Olivet will also feature a new head coach in Isabel Snyder, who most recently served as the assistant and junior varsity boys’ and girls’ tennis coach at Marshall High School.

Up Ahead

Conference play begins March 21 with Olivet hosting Hope. Albion will host Saint Mary’s on March 27 before a full slate of MIAA matches on March 28.

The 2026 MIAA Women’s Tennis Tournament is scheduled for April 28 (first round), April 30 (semifinals), and May 2 (championship). The NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Tournament is slated to begin May 8.