KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- In the 2025-26 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll the Washburn Ichabod women's tennis squad was picked to finish first in the conference. They received six of nine first-place votes with 70 total points. 

Last season Washburn went 17-4 overall and 8-1 in the MIAA, finishing with a three-way tie for first place in the regular season. It was the first MIAA Regular Season Championship under head coach Kirby Ronning who has gone 34-7 in MIAA play in five seasons with the program.  

Behind the Ichabods in the rankings are Central Oklahoma at No. 2 with a pair of first place votes and Nebraska Kearney at third with the final first place nod. Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western round out the top-five in that order.  

Emporia State sits at No. 6, Northeastern State at No. 7, Arkansas-Fort Smith at eight with Newman and Fort Hays State rounding out the rankings respectively.  

The Ichabods begin the spring season with an exhibition against Seward County CC on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 1 p.m. in Genesis Tennis Center. The first regular season match comes on Jan. 31 against McKendree with first serve at 12 p.m. also in Genesis. 

2026 MIAA WOMEN'S TENNIS 

PRESEASON COACHES POLL 

1. Washburn [6] – 70 points 

2. Central Oklahoma [2] – 63 points 

3. Nebraska Kearney [1] – 53 points 

4. Northwest Missouri – 51 points 

5. Missouri Western – 47 points 

6. Emporia State – 40 points 

7. Northeastern State – 33 points 

8. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 19 points 

9. Newman – 16 points 

10. Fort Hays State – 13 points  

[#] - First Place Votes