2026 NAC Women’s Tennis Preseason Poll & Players to Watch

8/28/2026 1:00:00 PM

WATERVILLE, Maine – The 2026 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Women’s Tennis Preseason Poll has been released and defending champion Simmons University were tabbed the favorite to claim the 2026 conference crown, according to a vote of NAC women’s tennis coaches.

Simmons secured five first-place votes and 33 points overall while Husson tallied the final first-place vote and 27 points to claim second place. Thomas College and Lesley University garnered 24 points each to tie for third place. Rounding out the poll are Vermont State University Johnson (11) and Vermont State University Lyndon (7) placing fifth and sixth respectively.

The Sharks earned their first NAC Women's Tennis championship last fall after defeating Husson 5-2 in the title game. Led by head coach Bob Rauseo, Simmons returns four 2025 All-NAC honorees, including Co-Player of the Year and First Team Singles selection Emilie Lapointe, First Team Singles honorees Masha Shutts and Amoli Vad, and First Team Doubles honoree Emma Parsons. Lapointe, Shutts, and Vad also earned First Team Doubles recognition during the 2025 season.

Three NAC women's tennis teams open the 2026 season on Tuesday, September 1. Non-conference play will continue through the first week until NAC action starts Saturday, September 13.

Click on each team below to view their capsules and Players to Watch

2026 NAC Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Institution – Points (First Place Votes)

Head Coach	Bob Rauseo
Head Coach's Overall Coaching Record (Record/Seasons)	226-150
Head Coach's Record at School: (Record/Seasons)	226-150
Last Season's Record (Overall/Conference)	12-8 (5-1)
No. of Returning Starters	5
No. of Starters Lost	1
No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024 team	5
Top Returning Players (Name/Year)	Emilie Lapointe / Senior Masha Shutts / Junior Amoli Vad / Junior
Top Newcomers (Name/Year)	Ivy Cote / First-Year Victoria McCrann / First-Year

Head Coach	Jeff Courtney
Head Coach's Overall Coaching Record (Record/Seasons)	0-0/1st Season
Head Coach's Record at School: (Record/Seasons)	0-0/1st Season
Last Season's Record (Overall/Conference)	9-3/5-1 NAC
No. of Returning Starters	4
No. of Starters Lost	2
No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024 team	7
Top Returning Players (Name/Year)	Kayla Lockhart / Senior Anah Albert / Junior Olivia Christensen / Senior Mallory Beaulieu / Junior Katelyn Cotter / Sophomore
Top Newcomers (Name/Year)	Julia Spencer / First-Year Grace Hansen / First-Year Lydia Jordan / First-Year

Head Coach	Rob Disch
Head Coach's Overall Coaching Record (Record/Seasons)	35-63 (8 Seasons)
Head Coach's Record at School: (Record/Seasons)	35-63 (8 Seasons)
Last Season's Record (Overall/Conference)	8-6 overall, 4-2 NAC
No. of Returning Starters	7
No. of Starters Lost	3
No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024 team	7
Top Returning Players (Name/Year)	Taylor Juhase / Junior Lily Daigle / Junior Gigi Bhagat / Sophomore
Top Newcomers (Name/Year)	Scotland Ames / First Year Sarah Johnson / First Year Sierra Gerken / First Year

Head Coach	Jessica Russo
Head Coach's Overall Coaching Record (Record/Seasons)	35-37
Head Coach's Record at School: (Record/Seasons)	35-37
Last Season's Record (Overall/Conference)	7-9 (4-2 NAC)
No. of Returning Starters	4
No. of Starters Lost	3
No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024 team	4
Top Returning Players (Name/Year)	Mary Osucha / Senior Lucy Boyce / Senior
Top Newcomers (Name/Year)	N/A

Head Coach	Ryan McDonnell
Head Coach's Overall Coaching Record (Record/Seasons)
Head Coach's Record at School: (Record/Seasons)	7-25/ 3 seasons
Last Season's Record (Overall/Conference):	1-10 / 1-5 NAC
No. of Returning Starters	2
No. of Starters Lost	6
No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024 team	2
Top Returning Players (Name/Year)	Caitlyn Morey / Senior Rose Oakland / Graduate Student
Top Newcomers (Name/Year)

Head Coach	Laura Laramee
Head Coach's Overall Coaching Record (Record/Seasons)	15-131
Head Coach's Record at School: (Record/Seasons)	15-131
Last Season's Record (Overall/Conference)	0-10 / 0-6 NAC
No. of Returning Starters	2
No. of Starters Lost	2
No. of Returning Roster Players from 2024 team	2
Top Returning Players (Name/Year)	Megan Richardson / Sophomore Chloe Murphy / Sophomore
Top Newcomers (Name/Year)	Olivia Cordova / Junior

2026 NAC Players to Watch

The North Atlantic Conference is pleased to present the 2026 Women's Tennis Preseason Players to Watch list, which includes 12 student-athletes who were selected by their head coaches to represent their respective teams.

Caitlyn Morey | Senior | Jericho, Vt.
Morey competed in all 11 matches for Lyndon during her junior campaign. Last fall, she secured singles victories over SUNY Delhi and Vermont State University Lyndon.
Rose Oakland | Graduate Student | Richford, Vt.
Oakland returns to the court for the Lyndon Hornets after competing in four contests during the 2025 season.
Kayla Lockhart | Senior | Brewer, Maine
Kayla Lockhart is one of two all-conference selections that return on this year’s Eagles squad, as the senior earned all-conference honors for both singles and doubles last season. Lockhart posted a 5-5 mark in singles action last season, while compiling a 7-4 mark in doubles play.
Olivia Christensen | Senior | Portsmouth, R.I.
Olivia Christensen will be looking to make a big jump this season after Husson lost its top two singles players due to graduation. Christensen went 3-0 in singles action this past season, while also going unbeaten in doubles action by posting a 5-0 record.
Mary Osucha | Senior | Knoxville, Tenn.
As a junior, Mary Osucha posted a 10-3 record in singles play, including a 4-2 mark in NAC matches. In doubles competition, she went 9-5 overall and 3-3 against NAC opponents. Osucha capped the season by earning First Team All-NAC honors in singles.
Lucy Boyce | Senior | Marshfield, Mass.
As a junior, Lucy Boyce finished the season with a 5-7 record in singles play, including a 3-3 mark in NAC matchups. In doubles competition, she posted a 7-6 record and went 4-4 against NAC opponents.
Olivia Cordova | Sophomore | Craig, Colo.
Olivia moves over to the women’s team this fall after competing with the Lyndon men’s team last spring. She played in three matches with the men’s team.
Megan Richardson | Junior | Essex Junction, Vt.
Megan looks to build upon a promising freshman campaign that saw her pick up a pair of conference singles wins and a doubles victory.
Emilie Lapointe | Senior| Clinton, Mass.
Emilie Lapointe enters her senior season as the reigning NAC Co-Player of the Year and a First Team All-NAC selection in both singles and doubles. In 2025, Lapointe dominated in singles play, posting a 16-1 overall record and a perfect 5-0 mark in NAC competition. She was equally impressive in doubles, finishing 14-2 overall and 4-0 against conference opponents.
Masha Shutts | Junior | Wellesley, Mass.
Masha Shutts returns for her junior season after earning First Team All-NAC honors in both singles and doubles in 2025. Shutts posted a 10-4 overall record in singles play, including a 2-0 mark in NAC competition. In doubles, she finished 13-4 overall and went 3-0 against conference opponents.
Gigi Bhagat | Sophomore | Pueblo, Colo.
Sophomore from Pueblo, Colorado. Bhagat put together a lengthy list of accomplishments in her rookie year, most notably NAC Rookie of the Year, NAC All-Conference First Team Singles, and NAC All-Conference Second Team Doubles.
Taylor Juhase | Junior | Raymond, Maine
Junior from Raymond, Maine. Juhase has become a crucial player to the team’s success, and for her efforts last season Juhase was awarded NAC All-Conference Second Team in doubles. Juhase will look to keep her spot near the top of the Terrier lineup this season.