The Collegiate Conference of the South released its 2026 preseason tennis polls Tuesday, with Belhaven University appearing in both rankings as league play approaches next month.
Belhaven was ranked eighth in the women’s poll with 11 points. The Blazers aim to climb in the standings as the season unfolds in March. Defending champion Asbury led the women’s poll with 49 points and seven first-place votes after a 13-5 season and a CCS Tournament title in 2025.
Piedmont was second with 43 points and one first-place vote following a 21-3 season and an undefeated conference regular season. Covenant (32 points), Maryville (31), and Huntingdon (27) rounded out the top five. Agnes Scott (16), LaGrange (15), and Belhaven (11) followed. Conference play begins Saturday, March 7, with the top six teams advancing to the CCS Women’s Tennis Championship April 23-25 at the Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
On the men’s side, Belhaven was selected fifth in the preseason poll with 15 points. The Blazers finished last season 10-9 overall and 3-3 in conference play. They advanced to the semifinals of the CCS Tournament in 2025 and return key players including reigning CCS Rookie of the Year Harshith Anugonda.
Top-ranked Asbury received 36 points and six first-place votes after winning both the regular season and tournament titles in their first season in the conference. Covenant was second with 29 points, while Piedmont was third with 28 points and one first-place vote. Maryville was fourth with 19 points, and Belhaven was fifth. Huntingdon (14) and LaGrange (6) rounded out the poll. The men’s conference schedule also begins March 7, with the top six teams qualifying for the same April 23-25 tournament at the Adams Tennis Complex.
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