Grizzly men picked third in preseason poll

The Montana men's tennis team has once again been picked to finish toward the top of the Big Sky Conference table, with the Griz slotted in at No. 3 in the annual preseason coaches poll, the league announced Friday.

Montana was picked to win the league in 2021 but narrowly missed a downsized Big Sky tournament that saw only the top four teams advance, despite only having a single conference loss.

Head coach Jason Brown didn't mince words with his expectations for returning to the six-team championship format in 2022.

With an experienced squad that went 3-1 in league play, 9-10 overall, and nabbed an upset over No. 62 Gonzaga last season, Brown thinks the potential is there for a championship run amidst a competitive field.

"I have put less and less stock in the preseason poll the last few years, especially with us consistently being picked first or second, which is higher than we have deserved. This year we could have been picked five spots lower or two spots higher, and I wouldn't have blinked," said Brown.

"This is a veteran team, committed to representing The University of Montana in all the correct ways. I think it's a squad that can compete for both a regular season and tournament championship with a lot of extra work and improvement, but we have to play our very best. Now we are going to do everything in our power to make that a reality."

Montana won't have to wait long to gauge where they stand this season, and with a favorable schedule, they will enjoy the home-court advantage in the leadup to the Big Sky tourney.

UM opens the 2022 duals slate at home next week with a round-robin-style weekend, hosting Eastern Washington in nonconference action on Jan. 14, followed by the U.S. Air Force Academy on Jan. 16. The Griz host another nonconference weekend against Whitman and Whitworth on Feb. 11 and 13, respectively.

UM will then be at home for four-straight Big Sky matches, getting home-court advantage against the cream of the league's crop when the Griz host Weber State on March 26 and Idaho State on April 2. The top two teams in the preseason poll then visit Missoula when UM faces NAU on April 3, followed by Sac State on April 12.

The Big Sky Championship Tournament will once again be held at the Phoenix Tennis Center in Arizona from April 28-30.

The Griz will be led by a talented senior class that includes Ed Pudney and Oisin Shaffrey, two of UM's winningest players over the last three years. Pudney posted an 11-1 record in the fall tournament season while Shaffrey went 6-6. The pair combined for 16 singles wins in the 2021 duals season, primarily featuring on courts one and two, respectively.

The two-time defending conference champion NAU Lumberjacks were once again selected to repeat as champions, with perennial powerhouse Sacramento State slotting in second with three first-place votes. The Hornets received a total of 54 points in the voting, with Montana picking up 46.

2022 Big Sky Men's Tennis Coaches' Poll
1.     Northern Arizona – 62 (6)
2.     Sacramento State – 54 (3)
3.     Montana - 46
4.     Idaho State - 42
5.     Idaho - 39
6.     Montana State - 32
7.     Weber State - 26
8.     Portland State - 14
9.     Eastern Washington – 9

University of Montana Athletics

Players Mentioned

Ed Pudney

Oisin Shaffrey

Related Videos