ELMHURST, Ill. -- The Drake University men's tennis team is set to embark on a new era for the program as the Bulldogs are a first-year affiliate member of the Summit League and were picked as the favorite to claim the 2018 Summit League Championship by the league head coaches in the preseason poll, announced by the league on Thursday, Jan. 11.
 
The Bulldogs received five-of-seven first-place votes for a total of 35 points and edged out four-time defending Summit League champion Denver, who collected 32 points and the other two first-place votes.

Drake head coach Davidson Kozlowski, who enters into his sixth season at the helm of the Bulldogs, returns seven letter winners from last year's MVC championship and NCAA Championship appearance. Vinny Gillespie, a junior from Stirling, Scotland, led the Bulldogs with a 18-4 record at No. 1 singles and was named MVC Player of the Year. Gillespie also finished the 2017 season ranked 90th in singles. Fellow junior Ben Clark begins the 2018 dual season ranked No. 124 in singles after going 5-1 during the 2017 fall season.
 
Drake accepted an affiliate membership to the Summit League last April and brings 10 Missouri Valley Conference championships and 10 NCAA tournament appearances.
 
The Bulldogs open the 2018 season on Friday, Jan. 19 when they host Tennessee Tech. First serve is set for 6 p.m.