ATLANTA, Ga. (February 3, 2026) - Defending champion Asbury opens the 2026 season as the favorite in the Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) Women’s Tennis Preseason Poll. The Eagles earned 49 points and seven first-place votes from league head coaches after finishing last season 13–5 overall and 6–1 in conference play, with their lone CCS loss coming against Piedmont.
Asbury entered the postseason as the No. 2 seed and delivered a dominant tournament run, defeating Huntingdon before sweeping Piedmont, 4–0, in the championship match to claim the CCS title. The Eagles continued their season at the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Tournament, where they battled North Carolina Wesleyan in the opening round before falling 4–1 in Lexington, Va. Returning to lead the Eagles are 2025 CCS Player of the Year Ariadna Zegarra and Rookie of the Year Katherine Nova, as Asbury sets its sights on another title run.
Piedmont was selected second in the preseason poll with 43 points and one first-place vote following a standout 21–3 overall campaign — marking the program’s third 20-win season in the last four years. The Lions continued their dominance in conference play, finishing a perfect 7–0 in CCS action for the seventh consecutive undefeated conference slate to secure the regular-season title. Entering the CCS Tournament as the No. 1 seed, Piedmont advanced past Maryville before its bid for a third straight conference championship was halted by Asbury in the title match. Under the guidance of the three-time CCS Coach of the Year Trey Martin, the Lions return all-conference sophomore Caroline Morrison as they look to reclaim the conference crown.
Covenant comes in third in the preseason poll with 32 points after finishing last season 4–15 overall and 3–4 in CCS play. The Scots' postseason run ended in the quarterfinal round with a loss to Maryville, but Covenant returns a solid core of experience entering the new season. The lineup is led by juniors Christina English, Zoe Giuntoli, and Estee Verdery, along with sophomores Ora Hall and Katie Cummings, as the Scots aim to climb the standings.
Maryville was tabbed fourth in the preseason rankings with 31 points following a 10–6 overall season and a 4–3 mark in conference play. Maryville opened postseason play with a quarterfinal victory over Covenant before falling to eventual finalist Piedmont in the semifinals. The Scots return a talented upper-class core highlighted by sophomores Calliana Kondolios and Jasmine Muecke, along with junior Josie McRae, as they look to build on last season’s momentum.
Huntingdon slots in fifth in the preseason poll with 27 points after finishing 9–7 overall and 5–2 in CCS action. The Hawks opened the CCS Tournament with a win over Agnes Scott before their postseason run ended against Asbury in the semifinal round. Huntingdon returns junior Lilly Brown, an all-conference selection, to anchor the lineup entering the new season.
Agnes Scott claimed 16 points to place sixth after its season concluded with a quarterfinal loss to Huntingdon. LaGrange follows by one point in seventh with 15 points, while Belhaven rounds out the preseason poll in eighth with 11 points. Each program enters the season looking to challenge the standings and make strides as conference play unfolds.
Conference play kicks off on Saturday, March 7, with several conference teams taking to the court. Follow all the CCS men’s tennis action with updated scores, schedules at standings at
www.collegiateconferenceofthesouth.com.
The 2026 CCS Women’s Tennis Championship Tournament features the Top 6 teams on Thursday, April 23 and the championship game is scheduled for Saturday, April 25 hosted by the Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Below is a look at the 2026 CCS Women’s Tennis Preseason Poll. First-place votes are in parentheses:
2026 CCS WOMEN’S TENNIS PRESEASON POLL
| Ranking |
School |
Points |
| 1 |
Asbury University |
49 points (7) |
| 2 |
Piedmont University |
43 points (1) |
| 3 |
Covenant College |
32 points |
| 4 |
Maryville College |
31 points |
| 5 |
Huntingdon College |
27 points |
| 6 |
Agnes Scott College |
16 points |
| 7 |
LaGrange College |
15 points |
| 8 |
Belhaven University |
11 points |
First-place votes in parenthesis.
ABOUT THE COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE OF THE SOUTH (CCS)
The CCS is an NCAA Division III athletic conference that began play during the 2022-23 academic year. The conference features nine member institutions (Agnes Scott College, Asbury University, Belhaven University, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Piedmont University, and Wesleyan College) and sponsors championships across 14 sports. In addition to sharing the member institutions' geographic identity, the name 'Collegiate Conference of the South' is indicative of a shared commitment to academic excellence, which is commensurate with the NCAA Division III philosophy.
Follow all things #CCS on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram at @ccofsouth for all the latest news around the league.