2026 Carroll Men's & Women's Tennis Season Preview
As Carroll Tennis enters the 2026 season under the leadership of Head Coach Craig Mours, both the men's and women's programs continue to elevate their competitive standards while strengthening a unified, supportive culture. With a growing commitment to excellence on and off the court, an increasingly global roster, and a clear expectation of competing in the top half of the CCIW, the Pioneers move into the spring with confidence, hunger, and purpose.

Program Growth & Coaching Perspective
Over the last year, the standard within the program has risen in every area. The commitment to on-court development, strength training, conditioning, and academic excellence has become a defining part of the program's identity. Competing in the CCIW has accelerated that growth, pushing Carroll's student-athletes to hold themselves to higher levels of performance daily.

Both teams provided important lessons last season. The women's group showed a relentless drive to push the program to new heights, giving Mours the confidence to challenge them even more this year. On the men's side, the departure of a large graduating class has created a pivotal transition year, where returning players have begun stepping into new roles with clarity and purpose. One of the biggest cultural evolutions under Mours' tenure has been the increasingly international nature of the roster, bringing new perspectives, personalities, and competitive energy that continue to enrich the program's identity.

Roster & Personnel
On the women's team, leadership continues to be one of the group's greatest strengths. Captains Natasa Pupovac and Kate Trifilio have become the anchors of the program, shaping a team environment that feels like a family. Their leadership has helped blend the roster into one cohesive unit rather than two separate programs moving in parallel.

The men's team enters the season focused on redefining itself following last year's graduations. Layton Carls, who was outside the singles rotation last season, has emerged as a major contributor and now competes as high as No. 6 singles and within the No. 3 doubles team. Depth remains a strength for both the men's and women's teams, each carrying seven to eight players capable of stepping in seamlessly — a crucial asset over the course of a long, demanding season.

Team Identity & Style of Play
Togetherness and aggressiveness form the foundation of both programs' identity this season. The Pioneers have embraced the idea of playing for one another while maintaining an assertive, attacking style of tennis. The mindset is simple: play to win rather than to avoid mistakes. That mentality has fueled a tightly connected roster in which players consistently support each other in matches, on the sidelines, and throughout training.

Player Development & Technical Focus
This year's training emphasis centers on rhythm and aggression. The coaching staff aims to instill confidence in both teams by helping players balance consistency with assertive decision-making. One of the clearest areas of growth across the roster has been match-play maturity. In previous seasons, some athletes entered tough matches unsure if they truly belonged. That uncertainty has faded. Both squads now carry a deeper belief in their ability to compete with anyone on the schedule, replacing hesitation with poise and certainty.

Leadership & Culture
Leadership on the men's side has emerged from several voices. David Eman and Felix Persson continue to push the group's accountability and preparation standards, encouraging younger players to rise to the expectations of the program. The Labelles add a quiet but powerful example, leading through effort and consistency on the court.

Across both programs, players have taken ownership of the little things: showing up prepared, staying diligent in the weight room, maintaining strong conditioning habits, and communicating openly. According to Mours, both teams are more connected and responsible than in past years, a shift that has elevated the overall culture.

Schedule & Competitiveness
The men's team opens with a challenging early schedule that includes perennial regional powers. The early goal is to come out of those matches with a winning record, using a demanding spring break schedule to sharpen their readiness for CCIW play. The focus remains on staying competitive in tight matches and capitalizing on the winnable ones to position themselves strongly for postseason qualification.

The women's team also faces several new opponents this season, including UW–Oshkosh, which serves as an important early benchmark. Throughout the season, both programs will carry the same match-day mentality: intensity, unity, and full-team engagement. Mours expects that every player — whether in the lineup or on the sideline — will show up fully invested each time a Pioneer steps on court.

Goals & Big Picture
The overarching goals this season are centered on growth and pushing the programs into new competitive territory. Carroll aims to break through the first round of the CCIW Tournament — a milestone neither team has reached. For the men, securing a postseason berth is the first step, an increasingly challenging task with Concordia joining the conference and raising overall competition.

Beyond results, the priority is daily consistency and effort. Success, in Mours' view, comes from building sustainable habits, competing with purpose, and continually raising the program's long-term standard.

What Excites the Coaching Staff
What excites Mours most about this year's group is how united and locked in both teams have become. The buy-in is higher than ever, with men's and women's players supporting each other, training with shared purpose, and holding themselves to a collective standard. He believes fans will see a brand of tennis defined by energy, aggression, and steady improvement — the traits of a program poised to continue its climb in one of Division III's toughest conferences.