Men's Tennis | 01.22.2026

LEWISTON, Idaho – The 2026 LC State Tennis season marks the 38^th under coach Kai Fong, and the expectations are high for this year's Warriors. The LC State men enter the year as the No. 24 team in the NAIA after making a statement last season, and the women are receiving votes in the national poll.
 
Both Warriors teams face similar challenges in terms of scheduling. With college tennis becoming sparse in the region, especially in the NAIA, LC State's schedule features a handful of NCAA teams. The Warriors will host NCAA Division I North Dakota and Eastern Washington in the first week of the season with programs such as Idaho, Montana and Portland State also on the docket.
 
"As a coach, I love playing the bigger schools to have the opportunity to rustle some feathers," Fong said.
 
Both the Warrior men and women will also compete in the Great Southwest Athletic Conference (GSAC) this season in a change from recent years. Last season the LC State women were in the GSAC while the men competed in the Red River Conference. The GSAC will hold its conference tournament in Glendale, Ariz., and the Warriors will face conference opponents Arizona Christian and Ottawa (Ariz.) during the regular season.
 
"Being in the GSAC eases the travel distance," Fong explained. "Our goals remain the same, which is to be the best competitive versions of ourselves."
 
The men's roster features a lot of familiar faces. Key players that spent a lot of time near the top of the Warrior lineup return in 2026, headlined by sophomores Pablo Herrera and Giacomo Moreira. Juniors Nell Rollin and Rafael Bonnet de Larbogne will continue to play key roles for the Warriors, and fellow returners Gautam Balakrishnan, Cesar Coloma and Juan Pablo Naranjo also bring a great deal of experience from prior seasons. The roster includes five newcomers to the program.
 
"Having experienced returners is like having a bunch of older siblings to help manage the family of young ones," Fong said. "Last year's culture was impacted by the young ones, and those young ones are more experienced now to help with the process. It is always interesting to see where the flow takes us. For the team to work well, each and every one will have to fulfill their roles. Each one has to pull their own weight ultimately in matches to earn four of the seven possible points. In the tennis world, we have to rely on starters to perform."
 
The Warrior women bring a mix of experience to 2026. LC State enters the season with one senior, Naiara Montero, and five veteran juniors. Ana Govea, Gwyn Heim, Carisa Liebenberg and Rayana Shah spent a lot of time in the top six of the Warrior lineup last season, while transfer Lulu Monnayoo will add to the collegiate experience of the group. Sophomores Luciana Marzani, Larissa Couto and Sonam Chuki Dorji earned valuable experience in their time at LC State. The veteran group is bolstered by lone freshman Rylie Gettmann.
 
"We have a quiet but experienced group of players who will surprise many this year," Fong said. "Our animated standouts last year graduated. Someone or two will emerge as the new icons for the women of 2026. There are no projections for how things will shape up. The identity will eventually develop as the season progresses. Ready or not, here we go."
 
UP NEXT
Both LC State Tennis teams open the season on Friday against U Sports Canada's University of Calgary. The men take on the Dinos at 10 a.m. in the Tennis Center, followed by the women at 2 p.m.
 
Stay up to date with all things Warrior Athletics at lcwarriors.com and on social media @LCWarriors.