TAHLEQUAH -- After a 24-year absence, men's tennis is making a triumphant return to Northeastern State University for the 2025-26 season. The program will be led by current women's tennis coach Tim McLane, who will now oversee both teams.

"This is exciting news for Northeastern State University, and I'm incredibly grateful to Dr. Rodney Hanley for allowing us to revive the men's tennis program," McLane said. "I'm honored to be entrusted with leading this team and restoring NSU men's tennis to prominence—both within our conference and regionally. We started discussing this nearly two years ago, and a lot of hard work has gone into making it happen. Our Athletic Director, John Sisemore, along with athletics administration members Meghan Mulcahy, Don Vieth, and Andrew Fletcher, all played pivotal roles in bringing this vision to life."

NSU previously sponsored men's tennis from the 1960s through the 1999-2000 season. The program was a dominant force in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference (OIC) throughout the 1980s and 1990s, winning multiple conference titles. The team made its debut as an NCAA member in 1999, hosting the Midwest Regional and earning a No. 21 national ranking in its inaugural run. The following season, NSU qualified for the NCAA postseason once again.

"Over the last few years, I've had the privilege of meeting several men's tennis alumni, and I'm sure they're just as excited as we are to see this program return," McLane added. "We welcome their involvement and support as we move forward.

"There are also plenty of built-in benefits for both the men's and women's programs with this revival. From mutual support to idea-sharing and camaraderie, both teams will grow stronger together. Our women's team is already looking forward to this addition. Now, we have a lot of ground to cover in the coming weeks—especially in recruiting—but our goal is to build a roster that can compete for a championship right away."

The return of men's tennis in the fall of 2025 will increase NSU's total sports offerings to 11, marking the first new addition since women's soccer joined the lineup in 1996.