CLEVELAND, OH – Denison has been tabbed as the unanimous favorite for the 2024 North Coast Athletic Conference men’s tennis season, based on voting by the league coaches.
The Big Red, in search of their fourth consecutive NCAC title, claimed all eight first-place votes to top the league poll with 64 points. The Kenyon Owls, who have been named NCAC champions a league leading 22 times, landed in second after earning 56 points. Third was captured by DePauw with 48 points, while Wabash (38), Oberlin (29), and Wooster (25) followed in fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively. Ohio Wesleyan and Wittenberg rounded out the eight-team field in a tie for seventh with 14 points apiece.
Denison returns four all-conference selections from the 2022-23 team that finished with an overall record of 26-4, a 7-0 mark in league play, the NCAC Championship title, and the NCAC Tournament title. Last year, after earning the NCAC’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, the Big Red advanced to the round of 16 and finished the year ranked No. 14 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). Sophomore
Jacob Patterson (Bridgeville, PA/South Fayette), the 2023 NCAC Newcomer of the Year, returns after finishing last season with a 17-2 dual record, including an undefeated 8-0 mark in the No. 2 flight, and earning All-NCAC first-team honors. Patterson is joined by senior
Andy Mackler (Lake Mary, FL/Florida Virtual) and sophomore
Ethan Green (Salt Lake City, UT/Skyline). Mackler, a 2023 second-team singles and third-team doubles All-NCAC honoree, returns after posting a 14-2 mark in singles and a 14-2 record in doubles with senior teammate
Zach Portnoy (New York, NY/Dwight School). Green, who received All-NCAC third-team singles and first-team doubles recognition, enters his sophomore campaign ranked No. 18 nationally by the ITA. Last season, the Salt Lake City, Utah native went 15-4 in singles competition and had a record of 15-4 in doubles.
The 2024 season begins on Friday, January 26th, while the first league match is scheduled for Saturday, March 30th. The NCAC Tournament will be held on Friday, April 26th through Sunday, April 28th, hosted by Denison University.
2024 North Coast Athletic Conference
Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses, followed by total points) |
| MEN |
| 1. |
Denison (8) |
64 |
| 2. |
Kenyon |
56 |
| 3. |
DePauw |
48 |
| 4. |
Wabash |
38 |
| 5. |
Oberlin |
29 |
| 6. |
Wooster |
25 |
| T7. |
Ohio Wesleyan |
14 |
| T7. |
Wittenberg |
14 |