FORT WORTH –TCU men's tennis will enter the 2023 regular season as the favorite to hoist the Big 12 Conference championship chalice.
 
The Horned Frogs were picked to finish first in the Big 12 Men's Tennis Preseason Poll as voted on by conference head coaches.
 
The honor marks the fifth time in 11 years of conference membership TCU has claimed the top spot in the Big 12 Preseason Poll.
 
TCU received 24 points and garnered four of a possible six first place votes. Texas claimed the remaining pair of first place votes and was picked to finish second with 22 points. Baylor was tabbed third with 16 points. Oklahoma (13), Oklahoma State (10) and Texas Tech (5) rounded out the six-team poll.
 
The Horned Frogs have proven to be the gold standard in Big 12 men's tennis over the last decade. TCU has claimed five of the last six Big 12 regular season championships excluding the 2020 campaign, which was cancelled due to COVID-19, and notched consecutive Big 12 tournament championships in 2016 and 2017.
 
2023 Big 12 Men's Tennis Preseason Poll
 
1.            TCU (4)                  24
 
2.            Texas (2)               22
 
3.            Baylor                   16
 
4.            Oklahoma           13
 
5.            Oklahoma St.     10
 
6.            Texas Tech          5
 
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) also unveiled its D1 Men's Preseason Coaches' Poll. TCU garnered the No. 3 overall ranking, behind only defending national champion Virginia and Ohio State. The Horned Frogs were one of three Big 12 programs featured in the first set of rankings. The Longhorns joined TCU in the top-10 at No. 8. Baylor came one spot shy of giving the Big 12 three top-10 entrants, as the Bears checked in at No. 11.
 
The full set of rankings can be accessed here or by visiting WeAreCollegeTennis.com
 
TCU is set to take the purple courts for the first time on Jan. 14 vs. Abilene Christian inside the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.