CLEVELAND, Ohio – After significant changes among Summit League men's tennis teams, the Drake Bulldogs have been officially named as a new member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), the league announced today.
 
Drake and the University of Nebraska Omaha are set to join the MAC as affiliate members beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. With the addition of the Bulldogs and Mavericks, the MAC will have seven programs competing in men's tennis. The MAC's membership will include four full member institutions (Ball State, Buffalo, Toledo, and Western Michigan) plus three affiliate members (Drake, UIC, and Omaha).
 
"I am pleased to welcome Drake University and the University of Nebraska Omaha as affiliate members in men's tennis," said MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher. "Both institutions bring strong traditions of competitive success and a commitment to providing an outstanding student-athlete experience. Their addition further strengthens the level of competition within our men's tennis championship and continues to enhance the profile of the sport within the Mid-American Conference."
 
Drake joins the MAC after eight seasons competing in the summit League. Over that span, the Bulldogs won five total conference titles including one regular season crown and four tournament championships, the most recent coming in 2023. Prior to 2018, Drake had a storied history in the Missouri Valley Conference dating back to 1929 in which it won nine regular season championships and nine tournament titles. The Bulldogs recently finished year two under head coach Justin Stuckey. Drake had a historic season in 2026, winning a program record 14 matches in a row before finishing as the No. 8 team in the ITA Regional Rankings.

"We want to thank Dr. Steinbrecher, Kyle Klein, and the athletics directors and presidents of Mid-American Conference institutions for extending an invitation to our men's tennis program to join their league," Drake Athletics Director Brian Hardin said. "The MAC is a terrific conference with wonderful tennis programs. We look forward to the competition and new campuses awaiting our team."
 
The MAC has sponsored men's tennis since 1947, making it one of the league's longest-standing championship sports. Throughout its history, MAC men's tennis has featured a tradition of competitive excellence and NCAA postseason success, with Ball State, Buffalo, Toledo, and Western Michigan earning national recognition. This past season, Buffalo captured both 2026 MAC regular season and tournament championships, collecting the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.