BROWNWOOD, Texas — With the 2026 season on the horizon, Howard Payne University's Yellow Jacket tennis teams have finalized their competitive slate and are poised for a season of growth, grit, and strong competition. Under the leadership of new head coach Josh Lopez, the Yellow Jackets will take on a challenging mix of NCAA Division III opponents and a DI exhibition opener beginning in late January and extending through conference championships in April and potential postseason play into May and June.
Lopez, named head coach of both the men's and women's programs in the summer of 2025, brings more than a decade of tennis experience to Brownwood. A former standout collegiate athlete with an extensive coaching background, Lopez has coached at the NCAA Division II level and played a key role in the University of Texas Permian Basin men's tennis team's run to the 2024 NCAA Sweet 16 and a conference championship. His emphasis on player development and competitive culture aligns with the Yellow Jacket tradition of athletic and academic excellence.
The Yellow Jackets will open the 2026 season on January 24 with a road exhibition matchup against Division l Texas A&M Corpus Christi. February features a busy stretch of competition, including matches against Our Lady of the Lake, Schreiner and St. Mary's, St. Thomas, and Texas Wesleyan. The Jackets will also face the University of Dallas and LeTourneau on February 21 before closing the month with a matchup against Texas Lutheran University on February 27.
March action begins with a contest against Austin College on March 1, followed by matches with Hope College and Oklahoma Wesleyan on March 5 and 6. The month concludes with a March 21 meeting against McMurry University as conference play is on the horizon.
April will open ASC conference play and will see the Yellow Jackets face East Texas Baptist University on April 3, Hardin-Simmons University on April 11, and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor on April 17. The regular season leads directly into postseason competition with the American Southwest Conference Women's Championship scheduled for April 24–25 and the ASC Men's Championship set for May 1–2.
Teams advancing beyond conference play will compete in the NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Rounds 1–3 from May 8–10, with the NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Tennis Championship slated for May 24 through June 1.
With a full slate of competitive matches and a new voice leading the program, the 2026 season presents an opportunity for continued growth and progress for Howard Payne tennis. Fans are encouraged to follow the Yellow Jackets throughout the spring and support the program as it takes the court for the upcoming campaign.
