Full Breakdown
2026 NCAA Division I Tennis Tournament: Selections, Matchups, and Program Turmoil
4/28/2026, 11:32:32 PM
First-Round Pairings
The 2026 field includes 64 men’s and 64 women’s squads. First-round ties feature Youngstown State vs. No. 3 Ohio State, Tennessee Tech vs. No. 6 Mississippi State, Arkansas vs. Cornell, Gardner-Webb vs. Old Dominion, and Notre Dame women vs. No. 26 Arizona. Charleston Southern meets No. 5 North Carolina; Wichita State faces SMU.
Automatic Bids
Automatic berths went to Horizon League champion Youngstown State, Big South champion Gardner-Webb, Sun Belt champion Old Dominion, and Big Ten champion Michigan, which beat Ohio State 4-2 for the league’s spot. Notre Dame earned an at-large bid after a third-place ACC finish.
Program Histories
Youngstown State makes its ninth NCAA appearance, fourth in five years. Notre Dame logs its 29th men’s and 28th women’s entries. Arkansas returns for its 22nd overall appearance, first since 2024. Seeds: Ohio State No. 3, Mississippi State No. 6, Arizona No. 8. Tennessee Tech enters on a nine-match winning streak.
Official Statements
Arkansas Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek said the school lacks resources to sustain tennis, prompting the program’s discontinuation. Old Dominion coach Dominic Manilla praised the team as special, and coach Dominik Mueller said the squad has a strong foundation to win a round in the tournament.
Criticism
Long-time men’s coach Robert Cox described the decision as a severe shock and criticized the university for failing to explore fundraising or provide due process, calling the move a major insult to a program with 71 years of men’s and 46 years of women’s tennis history.
Timeline Gaps
The cut announcement came after the NCAA selection show, leaving the Razorbacks to play possibly their final tournament. The release cites termination at the end of the 2026 spring season but gives no exact date, creating scholarship and recruiting uncertainty. A $2.5 million tennis budget will be reallocated.
Verbatim Quotes
- “After considerable reflection and thoughtful discussion, we have made the very difficult decision to discontinue our men’s and women’s tennis programs,” — Hunter Yurachek, Director of Athletics, Arkansas
- “I was shocked, very angry, very mad at the way it went down.” — Robert Cox, Arkansas
- “They're all special, every single time,” — Dominic Manilla, Coach, Old Dominion
- “It's about time that we win a round in this tournament and I think this group has the best foundation to make this happen.” — Dominik Mueller, Coach, Old Dominion
Upcoming Rounds
First-round matches start May 1 at regional sites in Columbus, Starkville, Fort Worth, Winston-Salem, and others. Winners advance to second-round Sweet 16 play. The national finals will be held May 15-17 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Georgia.
