SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Defending Summit League regular season champion Denver was selected to walk away with the regular season title, garnering 23 points and three first-place votes in the preseason coaches’ poll released Tuesday by league officials.
The Pioneers look to take home their seventh regular-season crown in nine years and took the top spot by one point over Drake. The Bulldogs, who are the defending tournament champions, were picked second with 22 points while earning the two remaining first-place vote.
North Dakota, who received the remaining first place vote, totaled 14 points and was picked to finish third in the regular season for the first time since joining the League during the 2019 campaign. Omaha and Illinois State took the fourth-place spot with 13 points apiece while (5) rounded out the rankings.
2023 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN’S TENNIS PRESEASON POLL
|
Team |
Score (1st place votes) |
| 1. |
Denver |
23 (3) |
| 2. |
Drake |
22 (2) |
| 3. |
North Dakota |
14 (1) |
| T4. |
Omaha |
13 |
| T4. |
Illinois State |
13 |
| 6. |
Oral Roberts |
5 |
MEN’S TENNIS PRESEASON ATHLETES TO WATCH LIST
Nicolas Herrero Cuesta, Denver
Jr. | Segovia, Spain
- Named back-to-back All-Summit League First Team honoree
- Captured 16 singles wins in 20 decisions, good for second on the team in singles wins
- Went 3-2 on court one and 13-2 on court two while going 8-1 in DU’s last 10 matches
- Posted a 9-11 ledger in doubles action, playing with six different partners in the campaign
Jeremy Schifris, Drake
Jr. | Munich, Germany
- Made Round of 16 at the ITA All-American Championships, taking down the No. 1 rated player, Stefan Dostanic of USC, in the nation in the second round
- Currently ranked No. 34 in the ITA National Singles rankings
- Spent the 2020-21 season at Tulane where he compiled a record of 2-2 at the No. 5 and No. 6 spots
Cian McDonnell, North Dakota
Jr. | Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Was one of three Fighting Hawks to post double-digit singles wins and went 3-1 in League action
- Finished second on the team in singles victories in back-to-back years with 10
- Went 8-6 on the No. 3 court and had wins at the top spot and No. 2 court
- Went 5-1 in February, earning #SummitMTEN Athlete of the Week honors during that run
Mikhail Korkunov, Omaha
So. | Gelendzhik, Russia
- Finished 8-12 in singles action, including 5-3 at the No. 3 spot, 1-1 at No. 4 and 2-2 at No. 5
- Garnered Athlete of the Week accolades during a four-match winning streak
- Went 5-6 in doubles with all five wins coming at the No. 1 spot with teammate Matt Hulme
- Posted an 8-3 singles record this fall
Tomás Valencia, Illinois State
Fr. | Santiago, Chile
- Named to the 2022 Top Mid-Major Men’s Class
- Has a UTR ranking of 11.32
Ignacio Vinas, Oral Roberts
So. | Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Posted a 9-10 singles record in 2022, playing primarily at the No. 6 spot with a 6-5 ledger
- Captured a pair of wins at the No. 2 spot and a win at the top spot
- Went 7-7 in doubles action in League play, going 6-4 at the No. 1 spot
- Won his draw at the UTSA Roadrunner Invite this fall
Note: Athletes to Watch nominated by the league's head coaches
#SummitMTEN
