Salem State Picked to Repeat as LEC Men’s Tennis Champion in Preseason Coaches’ Poll

PAWTUCKET, R.I. – Following a vote of the Little East Conference (LEC) men's tennis coaches, Salem State University was named favorite to claim the 2019 conference championship. The defending champion Vikings totaled 53 points and received five of a possible eight first-place votes.

Salem State posted an overall record of 13-5 last season and claimed a share of the LEC regular season title after going 5-1 in league matches. The Vikings were seeded second in the LEC tournament, and went on to capture their first conference title in a decade after posting a 5-2 semifinal win over third-seeded UMass Dartmouth and a 5-1 win over top-seeded UMass Boston.  

The next three spots in this year's preseason poll were separated by just two points, with each team picking up one first-place vote. The Beacons locked up the No. 2 position in the preseason poll with 44 points, followed by UMass Dartmouth and Rhode Island College with 43 points and 42 points, respectively. Also selected to make the six-team LEC tournament were Western Connecticut State University (28 points) and Bridgewater State University (24 points).

2019 LEC Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. Salem State - 53 points (5)
2. UMass Boston - 44 points (1)
3. UMass Dartmouth - 43 points (1)
4. Rhode Island College - 42 points (1)
5. Western Connecticut - 28 points
6. Bridgewater State - 24 points
7. Castleton - 21 points
8. Southern Maine - 14 points  

First place votes in parenthesis