SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Roger Williams University Men's Tennis team tied for second in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Preseason Poll, receiving 51 points.
 
The Hawks were tied with Endicott who also received 51 points.
 
In 2018, the Roger Williams men's tennis team concluded the year with an overall record of 10-6 while going 6-2 in the conference to finish in third place in the regular season. Over the course of the season, the Hawks collected four 9-0 wins including one over in-state rival Salve Regina. In the postseason, RWU advanced to the semifinals after defeating No. 5 seed Western New England, 5-1, but were downed by No. 2 seed Eastern Nazarene.
 
The Hawks welcome two first-year players to the team and head coach Barry Gorman will guide a Hawk squad filled with a strong veteran presence, bringing back eight of ten players from last year's squad including five starters. Part of the returning group is junior Brendan White (Old Lyme, Conn.), last year's primary No. 1 singles and No. 2 doubles player, as well as a 2018 All-CCC First Team – Singles selection.         
 
The Nichols men's tennis team, winners of the past seven Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Tournament Championships, looks poised to continue the streak in 2019 as the Bison were picked first in the CCC Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll. Nichols earned all eight first place votes for 64 points in the poll that was conducted by the eight CCC men's tennis coaches last week.
 
Endicott and Roger Williams, which were both CCC semifinalists in 2018, tied for the second spot in the poll with 51 points apiece. Gordon and Western New England, which were the two other teams to qualify for the CCC Tournament a year ago ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. The Fighting Scots earned 39 points, while the Golden Bears collected 35.
 
Wentworth (21 points), Salve Regina (14), and Curry (13), finished out the rest of the poll.
 
The first spring tennis match of the season for a CCC team is on Feb. 24 as Endicott matches up with Emerson. The CCC opens conference play this year on Saturday, March 30. The top six teams in the conference standings will qualify for the 2019 CCC Men's Tennis Championship, which begins with the quarterfinal round on Saturday, April 27. The semifinals will take place on Wednesday, May 1, followed by the championship on Saturday, May 4. The winner of the championship match will be named the CCC Tournament Champion will earn the conference's automatic qualifier in to the 2019 NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championship.
 
2019 CCC Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll
 

	Team	Points (First Place Votes)
1.	Nichols	64 (8)
T-2.	Endicott	51
T-2.	Roger Williams	51
4.	Gordon	39
5.	Western New England	35
6.	Wentworth	21
7.	Salve Regina	14
8.	Curry	13

 
- Release courtesy of the Commonwealth Coast Conference