COLONIA, N.J. - The road to the ECC Women’s Tennis Championship begins with a familiar favorite on top and a rising star ready to make her mark. Queens College enters the 2025 season as the clear choice in the ECC Women’s Tennis Preseason Poll, while University of the District of Columbia’s standout, Polina Zelentsova, has been selected as the Preseason Player of the Year.
Zelentsova turned heads across the conference last season with a breakout sophomore campaign. Hailing from Chaiky, Ukraine, she compiled a stellar 5-1-1 singles record and a 5-2 mark in doubles play. She was untouchable in conference competition, going a perfect 3-0 in both singles and doubles, dropping just one singles set along the way. Her dominance earned her the No. 2 spot in the final ITA East Region Singles Rankings - a testament to her skill, consistency, and competitive edge.
For Queens College, the perch at the top is nothing new. The Knights have reached the ECC Championship final in each of the past seven seasons, capturing three titles during that stretch, including last year’s crown. With 22 points in the poll and four first-place votes, they once again set the standard for the field. But the competition isn’t far behind.
St. Thomas Aquinas sits just three points back, earning 19 points and the remaining first-place vote. The Spartans have their own championship pedigree, winning two of the last three titles before falling to Queens in last year’s final.
Right on their heels is the University of the District of Columbia, claiming 18 points and third place in the poll. The Firebirds have been knocking on the door in recent seasons, reaching the semifinals three years in a row since their last title in 2021-22, and with Zelentsova leading the charge, they could be primed for a breakthrough.
The preseason rankings close with a tie for fourth between Daemen and D’Youville, each collecting eight points as they look to disrupt the traditional power structure of the ECC.
New this season, the ECC Women’s Tennis Championship is moving out of the fall and into the spring and will be held on April 24-25, 2026.
2025-26 ECC Women’s Tennis Preseason Poll
1. Queens - 22 points (4 first-place votes)
2. St. Thomas Aquinas - 19 points (1 first-place vote)
3. District of Columbia - 18 points
T-4. Daemen - 8 points
T-4. D'Youville - 8 points