MIAC Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Saint John's tennis team was picked to finish fourth out of 10 teams in the 2019 MIAC Preseason Coaches' poll released Thursday, Jan. 24.

Gustavus Adolphus received six first-place votes and 78 points to finish first, just ahead of Carleton (four first-place votes, 76 points). Macalester claimed third with 57 points, one ahead of SJU in fourth.

SJU ended the 2018 season with a 7-2 MIAC record (13-5 overall) to finish third in the conference standings; its best season since 2004 (14-9 overall, 7-2 MIAC). The Johnnies won their first seven conference matches to earn their ninth trip to the MIAC Playoffs in the last 12 seasons.

The Johnnies open their 2019 season with a non-conference match against Northwestern (Minn.) at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at Sta-Fit in Sartell. SJU is scheduled to host two more home matches at Sta-Fit (March 17 vs. St. Norbert, Wis. and March 30 vs. Macalester) and five at the Chang Tennis Complex in Collegeville, beginning with an April 6 bout with Bethel.

SJU is scheduled to compete in five matches March 4-8 during its spring-break trip in Orlando. The Johnnies are slated to face two NCAA Division I opponents, Hampton (March 4) and Appalachian State (March 5), as well as Division II Stonehill (March 6).

The top five teams in the conference's regular-season standings will advance to the 2019 MIAC Men's Tennis Playoffs. The fourth seed hosts the fifth seed in the lone quarterfinal match April 30. The winner joins the top three seeds in the semifinals May 2 and the two semifinal winners will meet in the championship match on the home court of the top remaining seed May 4.

2019 MIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll
Coaches voted for every team in the conference except their own team. Points were assigned for each vote (10 for first, nine for second, etc.). Teams are ranked in order of highest point total to lowest with first-place votes shown in parentheses.

1. Gustavus (6), 78 
2. Carleton (4), 76
3. Macalester, 57
4. Saint John's, 56
5. Bethel, 45
6. St. Thomas, 42
7. Hamline, 37
8. St. Olaf, 25
9. Concordia, 23
10. Saint Mary's, 10