NEW YORK - Baruch has been selected first in the 2026 CUNY Athletic Conference men's tennis preseason coaches' poll announced Wednesday morning. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
The Bearcats, who have captured seven straight CUNYAC titles dating back to the 2017 season, earned six of seven first place votes and tallied 36 points. Hunter picked up one first place vote and totaled 28 points, while Brooklyn, last season's runner-up, was right behind the Hawks with 27 points.
John Jay (19) was voted fourth, followed by Albertus Magnus (16), Lehman (15) and York (6)
The 2026 CUNYAC men's tennis preseason Players to Watch were also announced.
The 2026 CUNYAC/HSS Men's Tennis Championship is set for Sunday, April 26 and Thursday, April 30. The semifinals and finals will take place at the USTA National Tennis Center.
2026 CUNYAC Men's Tennis Preseason Poll
(first place votes in parentheses)
1) Baruch – 36 (6)
2) Hunter - 28 (1)
3) Brooklyn - 27
4) John Jay - 19
5) Albertus Magnus - 16
6) Lehman - 15
7) York - 6
CUNYAC Men's Tennis Players to Watch
Eric Chamandy, Jr,, Albertus Magnus - Chamandy finished 5-0 in singles play and 4-1 in doubles action for the Falcons last season as they finished 7-3 overall.
Juan Mendoza, Baruch - Mendoza was the 2024-25 CUNYAC Player of the Year and First Team All-Star as well as the MVP of the conference championship. He finished 13-1 in singles play and 14-3 in doubles action.
James Walsh, Brooklyn - Walsh is expected to play a big role for the Bulldogs after reaching the conference championship match last season.
Savio Francis, Hunter - Finished 6-1 overall in doubles matches as a freshman for the Hawks last season and also won a pair of singles contests.
Samir Ghimire, John Jay - Ghimire finished 7-6 in doubles play for the Bloodhounds last season and also recorded three doubles triumphs. He was a Second Team All-Star.
Taishawn Brownlee, Lehman - The recipient of the CUNYAC Sportsmanship Award last season, Brownlee competed in all 10 matches and posted two singles and two doubles wins.
Altenor Molien, York - A Player to Watch for the second straight season, Molien posted a pair of wins for the Cardinals last spring.
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