NORFOLK, Va. (Jan. 14, 2026)--The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) released its 2026 preseason men's tennis poll on Wednesday, and the Morgan State Bears were picked to finish fourth. Morgan State, which a year ago dropped a slim 4-3 MEAC semifinal decision to South Carolina State, earned a total of 34 points.
 
The predicted finish was voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors.
 
Reigning MEAC champion South Carolina State was named the preseason favorite to capture the MEAC regular season crown. The Bulldogs claimed the top position in the preseason poll with 64 points, including nine first-place votes.
 
North Carolina Central was picked to finish second with 54 points and one first-place vote, followed by Norfolk State in third with one first-place vote and 37 points. Rounding out the bottom half of the preseason rankings were Morgan State (24 points) at fourth, Howard (30 points) in fifth, followed by Coppin with 12 points for sixth place.
 
The Bears begin the season on Thursday, Jan. 29 when they travel to Annapolis, Md. to take on Navy.
 
2026 MEAC Men's Tennis Predicted Order Of Finish
(first-place votes in parenthesis)
School, Points
1. South Carolina State (9), 64 points
2. North Carolina Central (1), 54 points
3. Norfolk State (1), 37 points
4. Morgan State, 34 points
5. Howard, 30 points
6. Coppin State, 12 points
 
 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.