Heart Sends Two Teams to 2026 NAIA Men’s Tennis National Championship 

OVERLAND PARK, KAN. — The NAIA has announced the 24-team field for the 74th Annual UTR Sports NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship, set for May 12–16 at the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Alabama. Two teams from the Heart of America Athletic Conference will compete at the national championship, as Missouri Baptist University and William Woods University represent the Heart. 

Missouri Baptist University earned the Heart's automatic berth after winning the Heart Men's Tennis Conference Tournament Championship. The Spartans enter the national championship ranked No. 13 in the NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Poll and earned the No. 12 seed in the 24-team bracket. 

William Woods University secured an at-large berth after finishing as runner-up in the Heart Men's Tennis Conference Tournament. The Owls enter the national championship ranked No. 17 in the NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Poll and earned the No. 16 seed. 

The 24-team field consists of 12 automatic qualifiers and 12 at-large selections competing in a single-elimination format for the NAIA Red Banner.  

Heart First-Round Matchups 
Monday, May 12 (9 a.m. CT) 

• No. 12 Missouri Baptist University vs. No. 21 Marian (Ind.)  

• No. 16 William Woods University vs. No. 17 St. Thomas (Fla.)  

First-round play begins May 12, with the national championship match scheduled for May 16. 

For more information on the 2026 NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship, click here.