The Intercollegiate Tennis Association released its Division I Women’s Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll for January 7, 2026, according to official ITA announcements. Georgia enters the new year as the No. 1 ranked team in the country for the second season.
Georgia Claims Preseason No. 1 Spot in Coaches Poll
According to the ITA National Ranking Committee, Georgia earned seven first-place votes to secure the top ranking in the January 7, 2026 Coaches Poll. The defending NCAA and ITA National Team Indoor Champions finished the previous season with a 29-3 record and a nine-match win streak, which included victories over Texas A&M, North Carolina, and Duke.
Georgia faces a transitional roster phase following the graduation of standout players Dasha Vidmanova, Guillermina Grant, and Mell Reasco. The program integrates experienced returners alongside incoming freshmen, including Anastasiia Gureva, Patricija Paukstyte, Emma Dong, and Deniz Dilek, to maintain its competitive position.
SEC Dominates the Top of the National Rankings
According to the January 7, 2026 poll, the Southeastern Conference commands a heavy presence at the top of collegiate tennis. Five of the top six teams in the country hail from the SEC.
- No. 1: Georgia
- No. 2: Texas A&M
- No. 3: North Carolina
- No. 4: Auburn
- No. 5: LSU
- No. 6: Oklahoma
The remaining top ten positions feature Michigan at No. 7, Duke at No. 8, Stanford at No. 9, and Oklahoma State at No. 10, according to the ITA voting results cast by the 13 regional chairs.
Preseason Singles and Newcomer Standouts
According to individual preseason releases, Auburn’s DJ Bennett claims the No. 1 spot in the ITA Preseason Singles Rankings. Bennett enters her senior season after reaching the finals of the NCAA Singles Championship and finishing the previous campaign ranked No. 3 nationally.
In the doubles rankings, North Carolina’s Reese Brantmeier and Alanis Hamilton open the fall schedule as the top-ranked pairing. The duo earned a main draw wild card into the US Open after winning the USTA American Collegiate Playoff. Meanwhile, UCLA newcomer Mayu Crossley enters the season as the country’s top-ranked newcomer, carrying a career-high ITF Juniors ranking of No. 5.
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