PITMAN, N.J. — After a historic return last season following a 22-year hiatus, during which the New Jersey City University men's tennis team knocked off perennial New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) powerhouse The College of New Jersey twice in one season, including a 5-3 victory to claim the 2021 NJAC East Division Championship, the Gothic Knights ended the season ranked #11 in the NCAA Division III Northeast Regional Rankings. Today, Wednesday, Feb. 9, the NJAC released its East Division preseason poll, NJCU and the Lions split the four first-place votes and the two squads head into the Spring tied as the divisional favorites.

Full NJAC Men's Tennis East Division Preseason Poll (first place votes in parentheses)
1 — (tie) NJCU (2) / TCNJ (2)
3 — Ramapo College
4 — Rutgers-Camden

As mentioned, NJCU enters the Spring as the reigning champions. They are led by 2021 co-NJAC East Coach of the Year Nick Margiasso, who boasts a trio of All-Conference returners. Senior co-captain Theo Bourghelle (Lesquin, France/LaSalle Lille), who ended last season ranked #11 in the Northeast Regional Singles Rankings, was a First Team selection, as well as the Player of the Year. He also became NJCU's first Academic All-America honoree since 2013, and the first tennis player ever. Joining him is reigning NJAC East Rookie of the Year and First Team honoree, sophomore Nico Teynie (Rouen, France/Lycée Val de Seine). He and Bourghelle were also named NJCU Male Rookie and Male Athlete of the Year, respectively, in 2020-21. Another sophomore, Jordi Julia (Barcelona, Spain/IES Sant Quirze del Valles), claimed Second Team honors thanks to his doubles play.

In addition to some other strong returners in sophomores Alejandro Ley (Las Palmas, Spain/I.E.S. Politécnico) and Gerard Loras (Tortosa, Spain/Col·legi Diocesà Sagrada Família), as well as senior co-captain Alex Platonov (Weehawken, N.J./Weehawken), NJCU boasts a couple of well-prepared newcomers in junior transfer Ryan Weiss (Mullica Hill, N.J./Clearview Regional) and freshman Olaf de Lange (Maasland, Netherlands/Stedelijk Gymnasium Schiedam). The eight-man squad, guided by Margiasso, is primed and ready for another run in the NJAC. Moreover, this season the East and West Divisions will meet for a joint conference championship tournament on May 7 to determine the NJAC's first-ever automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament. 

The Gothic Knights kick off their 2022 Spring campaign on Saturday, March 5, with a 12:00 p.m. road clash with Division I foe Wagner College on Staten Island, N.Y. NJCU nearly took down the Seahawks in their most recent meeting, losing 5-4 back on Oct. 10.