BABSON PARK, Mass.—The Babson College women's tennis team was picked to finish second when the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) released its preseason coaches' poll on Wednesday.
Eight-time defending champion and eighth-ranked MIT received seven of the nine first-place votes to finish at the top of the poll, while 14th-ranked Babson earned the other two first-place votes to finish runner-up. No. 21 Wellesley, Smith and Springfield rounded out the top five in the poll.
Babson is coming off an outstanding 2025 campaign that included a 15-7 overall record and a 6-2 mark in NEWMAC matches, competing in the conference final for the seventh straight year. The Beavers advanced to the second round of the NCAA team championships and made program history when
Olivia Soffer '25 and senior
Matia Cristiani captured their second straight national doubles title at the NCAA Division III singles and doubles championships.
Guided by third-year head coach
Emma Davis, the Beavers enjoyed a successful fall season, highlighted by Cristiani and first-year
Sandra Sikharulidze capturing the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national doubles championship at the ITA Cup Tournament after claiming the ITA New England doubles crown.
The Green and White, which opened the spring season with a 4-3 upset over No. 7 Johns Hopkins last Saturday, will continue a six-match string of matchups vs. nationally-ranked opponents, taking on No. 24 NYU on February 28 in Cambridge, Mass.
2026 NEWMAC Women's Tennis Preseason Poll
| Rank |
School (first-place votes) |
| 1 |
MIT (7) |
63 |
| 2 |
Babson (2) |
57 |
| 3 |
Wellesley |
51 |
| 4 |
Smith |
43 |
| 5 |
Springfield |
36 |
| 6 |
Wheaton |
29 |
| 7 |
Emerson |
19 |
| 8 |
Salve Regina |
15 |
| 9 |
Clark |
11 |
