Men’s Tennis Slotted Fourth in SEC Preseason Coaches Poll

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Southeastern Conference head coaches has predicted Kentucky to finish fourth in the league for the 2026 season, the conference office announced Thursday.

Texas, the defending SEC regular season and conference champion, slotted in the No. 1 position. Mississippi State and Texas A&M round out the top three. All three teams rank inside the ITA Preseason Coaches Poll top 15. Additionally, Oklahoma and South Carolina feature in the preseason top 25.

Kentucky is receiving votes in the ITA Preseason rankings, marking the first time the Cats have not appeared in the opening poll since 2020. Fellow SEC programs Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee are also receiving votes.

The Wildcats return seven athletes from the 2025 squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 before falling to eventual national champion Wake Forest. Among the seven returners are five All-SEC athletes, two All-Americans, two NCAA singles qualifiers, and two ITA Ohio Valley Region Rookies of the Year.

Kentucky will open its 2026 slate on Wednesday, January 14, taking on Dayton in a home doubleheader with matches at 10 a.m. ET and 2 p.m. ET. The Cats will close out the opening week of play by welcoming No. 20 Michigan State at Noon ET on Sunday, January 18. All home matches are held at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex and admission is free to the public.

For the latest on UK Men’s Tennis, follow the Wildcats on X and Instagram at @UKMensTennis.