SAINT PAUL, Minn.: In just its second season in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference, the UW-Superior men's tennis team has been chosen to finish third in the nine-team league in a poll of conference head coaches, announced Tuesday.

The Yellowjackets, who received 38 points in the poll, advanced to the conference semifinals a year ago, before falling to second-seeded Northwestern. Head coach Kolin Dean's squad returns eight players with a year of collegiate experience to their credit. Chief among them is senior Josiah Borst (Becker, Minn./Becker), who earned All-UMAC First Team honors in 2018 and was named UMAC Player of the Week March 26.

Borst was 10-7 in singles action and 8-9 in doubles last season and will look to help the 'Jackets finish stronger than they did in their first year on the courts. Also counted on to make a significant impact will be senior Leonardo Paredes (Uberlandia, Brazil/Colegio Sao Paschoall), who went 10-7 in doubles. Sophomore Will Sherman (Baton Rouge, La./St. Michael) will be another key piece for Superior Sherman was 8-5 overall in singles as a freshman.

St. Scholastica topped the poll with 49 points overall and seven first-place votes, followed by Northwestern with 42 points and one first-place nod. Bethany Lutheran and Martin Luther tied for fourth in the poll with 27 points each. Minnesota Morris (19 points), Crown (12) and North Central (10) rounded out the voting.

The 'Jackets open the season playing UW-Eau Claire at the Virginia Indoor Tennis and Pickleball Club Feb. 2 at 4 p.m.