CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa- The American Rivers Conference released its 2026 men's tennis preseason coaches' poll on Tuesday, Jan. 20 and Wartburg was voted to finish third with 45 points.

The Knights continue regular season play on Jan 31 (Sat) against St. Norbert College at 3 p.m. and Lawrence University at 6 p.m. in Appleton. Conference play begins on Feb 21 (Sat) against Coe College at 5 p.m. in Cedar Rapids.

Complete poll:
1. Luther, 63 points (7 first place votes)
2. Coe, 58 (2 first place votes)
3. Wartburg, 45 points
4. Loras, 44 points
5. Central, 38 points
6. Nebraska Wesleyan, 30 points
7. Dubuque, 23 points
8. Buena Vista, 15 points
9. Simpson, 8 points

A-R-C Preview
Wartburg College comes in third after a balanced season during 2025. Head coach Chris Gustas begins his tenth season with a new look in his lineup following the graduation of three long-time staples for the Knights. While no all-conference players return, Gustas believes this group has the depth and hunger to compete in the league race. 
 
"This will be a new look for Wartburg after graduating three players who were staples of our lineup for years," added Gustas. "And that new look will be good. We've got another group that is deep with talent, hungry to compete, coachable, and enjoyable to be around. The A-R-C will provide several tough challenges that we are eager to take on."