KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan women's tennis team was voted to finish second in the 2016 Mid-American Conference (MAC) preseason coaches' poll, which is voted on by the head coaches in the MAC.

The Broncos were picked second behind Miami, who captured its seventh consecutive MAC regular season title in 2015. The RedHawks finished with 67 points for the regular season and took six of the eight tournament winner votes. WMU finished with 62 regular season points and one tournament champion vote as well. Last season, WMU finished in second place in the MAC regular season.

“It's nice to be recognized in the preseason poll the way we are, but it is still a preseason poll and we still have a lot to prove and a lot to work on in order to make a run at a MAC Championship,” First year head coach Ryan Tomlinson said. “Our league as a whole is very good and for that reason, every week you've got to be on the top of your game to compete. All we can do is control the controllables and go to work.”

Following the Broncos, Buffalo was picked to finish third (54) and was also given one tournament champion vote. Ball State was picked fourth (49), Eastern Michigan fifth (41), Toledo sixth (33), Akron seventh (30), Northern Illinois eighth (16) and Bowling Green ninth (8).

WMU returns two All-MAC Second Team selections in junior Meika Ashby and sophomore Olivia Myers. Junior Tracy Kuhle and freshman Melina Lyubomirova are each 9-4 in singles play and 9-5 in doubles play to open the season and freshman Katja Fevralev is 8-1 in singles play after a perfect 8-0 start to the season.

WMU starts its spring season on Saturday, Jan. 16 with dual matches against Oakland and Valparaiso. Both games will be played at West Hills Athletic Club with the Oakland match slated for 1 p.m. and Valpo at 6 p.m.