TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler tennis will begin the year among the best in the country as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association released the Division II Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll on Wednesday.
 
UT Tyler men's tennis is ranked 7^th in the first poll, and the women are ranked #18.
 
Barry, Valdosta State, Flagler, West Florida, and Lubbock Christian make up the top five on the men's side. #18 Midwestern State and (RV) Cameron make up the teams that represent the LSC.
 
Barry, Nova Southeastern, North Georgia, Flagler, and West Alabama make up the top five on the women's side. #8 Midwestern State, #12 St. Mary's, and #25 Lubbock Christian make up the teams that represent the LSC.
 
The men's side of UT Tyler tennis will look to follow up their best season in the NCAA era of the program as they marched all the way to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament last season. Carel Wessel, Artiom Dorofeev, and Daniil Felker were each named ITA All-Americans, and they each return to help lead the program into the spring 2026 season.
 
The Patriots were named Lone Star Conference Regular Season Champions for the third time in five years and picked up 11 All-LSC nods. Dorofeev was named the ITA Rookie of the Year nationally, and head coach Chris Bizot was named the ITA South Central Region Coach of the Year.
 
The women's side of the tournament put a strong stamp on their season as they made the LSC Tournament finals for the first time in their program history before finishing as runner-up.
 
The Patriots had six All-LSC nods, and four of those six return for another season, highlighted by Yona Bancarel and Natalia Gorzny who were named first and second team singles, as well as second team doubles.
 
The women's season begins on February 5^th as they take on (RV) Central Oklahoma, while the men begin on the 6^th as they take on Northeastern State. Both of those matches will be in Edmond, Oklahoma.