CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The 2026-27 American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) women’s tennis season is set to get underway as teams across the league prepare on the courts. The Coe College Kohawks were selected as the preseason favorite to take home the regular season crown.
The women's tennis regular season champion will be crowned this fall, followed by the individual tournament on October 9-10 in Waterloo/Waverly, Iowa with Wartburg serving as the host. The team tournament will take place in the spring on April 27, 29, and May 1 at the higher seed each round.
2026 American Rivers Conference
Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll |
| Place |
Team (first-place votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
Coe College (7) |
49 |
| 2. |
Wartburg College |
43 |
| T-3. |
Central College |
32 |
| T-3. |
University of Dubuque |
32 |
| 5. |
Loras College |
29 |
| 6. |
Nebraska Wesleyan University |
17 |
| 7. |
Buena Vista University |
12 |
| 8. |
Simpson College |
10 |
*coaches cannot vote for their own institution*
Buena Vista University:
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster
2025-26 Record: 3-15 overall; 1-7 A-R-C
2025-26 Conference Finish: 8th
Dan Taylor enters his eighth season leading the Beavers. Buena Vista brings back five starters to the lineup this season: Hannah Higgins, Macy Weller, Abbey Meseck, Charlie Weiner, and Fiona Astleford.
“We will still be fairly young, but I am excited to see the growth and improvement in our players as we compete in the A-R-C this fall.”
Central College:
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster
2025-26 Record: 8-11 overall; 4-4 A-R-C
2025-26 Conference Finish: 5th
Ryun Ferrell is entering his 13th season at Central and returns a strong starting lineup, led by returning all-conference performer Lauren Gano. Also returning is Emma Murphy, Emily Blom, Sidney Peterson, Rebekah Christensen, and Claire Smock.
“The Central College Women's Tennis program enters its next campaign fueled by a determined mix of battle-tested returners and rising underclassmen eager to climb the American Rivers Conference standings. Coming off an 8-11 overall record and a balanced 4-4 mark in conference play, the Dutch have their sights set on breaking into the upper echelon of the league.
The team's upcoming narrative centers on translating narrow misses into definitive victories. The squad proved it can compete with anyone, frequently playing down-to-the-wire, single-point thrillers. With core depth returning—including breakout singles performers like Sidney Peterson, Emily Blom, and Rebekah Christensen—Central possesses the veteran poise required to flip those close decisions in their favor.”
Coe College:
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster
2025-26 Record: 19-8 overall; 7-1 A-R-C
2025-26 Conference Finish: 2nd
Brandon Hornback begins his tenure leading the Kohawks. Coe returns four all-conference honorees: Sophia Fain, Addison Leasure, Alice Tysoe, and Aisha Grung. Additionally, Alli Hagness, Cossette Gaines, and Alexa Cohen are back in the lineup for Coe.
“I’m stepping into a Coe team that returns five of the six players who competed for a conference title last season. I’m confident this group will build on that experience and continue to compete at the highest level.”
University of Dubuque:
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster
2025-26 Record: 12-9 overall; 5-3 A-R-C
2025-26 Conference Finish: 4th
After a strong conference season last year, the Spartans return a full starting roster under head coach Chad Fenwick, who is entering his fourth season at UD. Fenwick returns Molly Jex, Adriana Benavente, Sarah Wilde, Jayde Floyde, and Maddie Broshnahan.
“UD brings back our full roster from last year. We are looking forward to having another competitive year in the A-R-C.”
Loras College:
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster
2025-26 Record: 9-14 overall; 3-5 A-R-C
2025-26 Conference Finish: 6th
Cam Long enters his fourth season at Loras. The Duhawks return all-conference performers Mary Breitbach and Megan Covelli. In addition, Saydie Roling and Brooke Burger return to the starting lineup for Loras.
“We will have an extremely young team this year with 13 of our 16 players being freshmen or sophomores. I look forward to seeing our team’s growth as the season progresses and once again being competitive in the A-R-C.”
Nebraska Wesleyan University:
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster
2025-26 Record: 2-9 overall; 2-6 A-R-C
2025-26 Conference Finish: 7th
Lee Steinbrook heads into his sixth season leading the Prairie Wolves. They return one starter to the lineup in Kylie Englesman.
"With no seniors, kind of a reset year for us, looking to develop some new players who will be contributing for the first time and into the future.”
Simpson College:
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster
2025-26 Record: 3-16 overall; 0-8 A-R-C
2025-26 Conference Finish: 9th
Nicole Berger is entering her third season with the Storm. She brings back Grace Peck, Coilee Hynek, Natalie Collins, Bella Sims, and Gracie Thompson to the starting lineup this season.
“The team's momentum is moving in the right direction! Excited for the season to start.”
Wartburg College:
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster
2025-26 Record: 21-11 overall; 6-2 A-R-C
2025-26 Conference Finish: 3rd
Chris Gustas enters year 11 at Wartburg. He returns a strong starting lineup of Morgan Kathman, Lily Schreckengast, Brooke Bloom, Kaitlyn Olson, Kendall Olson, Abi Peyman, and Riley McClellan.
“Wartburg brings back an experienced group that has won a lot of matches in the past. I expect to be ready to compete right away in the fall. Last season our ladies won a whopping 21 matches and played well in everything that was close. There is a lot of toughness and belief in this group.”
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About the American Rivers Conference
Nationally respected for excellence in NCAA Division III athletics, the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) has a tradition dating back to its founding in 1922 as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association and adopted its current name in 2018 to reflect its strong Iowa roots and growing regional footprint. The A-R-C is a collaborative community that champions the holistic development of student-athletes, uniting member institutions in a shared commitment to academic achievement, athletic distinction, and leadership.
The A-R-C is home to eight full-time member institutions: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College.
