INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – For the fifth straight year, the Cleveland State men's tennis team has been selected to win the Horizon League Championship in the annual #HLTennis Preseason Poll. The poll, which is voted on by the league's head coaches, was announced Wednesday morning.
This marks the 10th year that the Horizon League has released a Preseason Tennis Poll, with Cleveland State favored to win for the fifth time. It also marks the ninth time out of 10 preseason polls that the Vikings were tabbed as a top-two selection.
Cleveland State enters the 2022 spring campaign as the three-time reigning Horizon League Champions, after winning the title in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
The Vikings return five letterwinners from the 2021 championship team, including Horizon League Freshman of the Year and Second Team honoree Maxime Mareschal-Hay.
Cleveland State is under the direction of head coach Brian Etzkin, who is in his 20th year on the Cleveland State sidelines owning a 271-183 career dual match record. Throughout his tenure, Etzkin has guided the Vikings to eight Horizon League Tournament titles – the second most titles by a single school in Horizon League history.
2022 Horizon League Men's Tennis Preseason Poll
1. Cleveland State, 24 (4)
2. Youngstown State, 18 (1)
3. Northern Kentucky, 15
4. UIC, 10
5. IUPUI, 8