Leighton Chamblee

Women’s Tennis Tabbed Third in Preseason Poll; Jule Schulte Named Athlete to Watch

1/14/2026 2:10:00 PM | By: Sydney Smith, FightingHawks.com

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of North Dakota women's tennis team was picked third in the 2026 Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll, league officials announced Wednesday. In the same release, senior Jule Schulte was individually honored by the conference, earning a spot on the Preseason Athlete to Watch List.

Denver topped the poll with 36 points and six first-place votes after collecting its 11^th-straight conference crown. Omaha was second in the poll with 28 points as North Dakota finished third with 26 points and the final first-place vote. The selection comes a season after the Fighting Hawks went 14-8 with a 3-3 conference showing in 2025. UND held the four-seed in the Summit League Championship bracket before falling to Denver in the semifinals, 4-0.

Schulte enters the 2025-26 season after becoming the first junior in program history to eclipse 100 career wins. She currently sits with 101 career wins after collecting a 9-10 total mark in singles play, going 6-6 from the No. 2 spot. Schulte also tied for the team lead with a 15-5 showing in doubles action—with all wins coming from the No. 2 spot—and went 4-2 against league opponents.

North Dakota tennis will open its season at home against Marquette on Friday, January 16 at 11:30 a.m. and Montana State on Sunday, January 18 at 10:30 a.m.

2026 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S TENNIS PRESEASON POLL

	Team	Score (1^st place votes)
1.	Denver	36 (6)
2.	Omaha	28
3.	North Dakota	26 (1)
4.	Kansas City	23
5.	St. Thomas	15
6.	Oral Roberts	11
7.	South Dakota	8

WOMEN'S TENNIS PRESEASON ATHLETES TO WATCH LIST
Note: Athletes to Watch nominated by the league's head coaches
Louise Wikander, Denver
Sr | Helsingborg, Sweden

Named to the 2025 All-Summit League First Team
Went 18-11 in singles (10-8 duals, 6-0 in Summit League) playing the entire spring at the No. 2 spot for the Pioneers
Added a 25-6 doubles record (16-2 in duals, 5-0 in Summit League)
Achieved No. 110 ITA national doubles ranking with partner Claudia Martinez de Velasco
Won ITA Mountain Regional singles title to advance to ITA National Fall Championships

Nina Wiese, Omaha
So | Flushing, N.Y.

Earned 2025 All-Summit League First Team honors
Went 16-5 in singles action during last season for the Mavericks
Posted a 2-0 record at the No. 2 spot, an 11-2 record at the No. 3 spot, and a 3-3 record at the No. 4 spot in the singles' lineup
Was 12-5 in overall doubles action (0-1 in Summit League)

Jule Schulte, North Dakota
Sr | Essen, Germany

Posted a 9-10 singles record (4-2 in Summit League) last season
Was 6-6 at the No. 2 spot and 3-4 at No. 3 in the singles lineup
Finished with a 15-5 doubles record on the No. 2 court
First junior in UND program history to reach 100 career wins

Catherine Chrobak, Kansas City
Sr | Montreal, Canada

Earned 2025 All-Summit League First Team honors
Posted an 11-3 record in singles matches from the No. 2 position for the Roos including a 4-2 record against League opponents
Played at the No. 2 doubles position and posted seven wins with partners Sophie Marshman and Amal Gati
Tallied two separate winning streaks of five-or-more matches during the 2025 season

Emilia Korseth, St. Thomas
Fr | Oslo, Norway

Posted an 8.74 Universal Tennis Rating
Defeated Angeles Rodriguez Rizo from Jacksonville State and Vendula Kryslova from Bellarmine in singles
Garnered doubles victories over Milwaukee and Drake during the fall season.
Put together a 14-16 record during her career in the junior ranks

Miranda Noor, Oral Roberts
Jr | Caracas, Venezuela