The Greyhounds after winning the 2026 Landmark Conference Championship at the Central PA Tennis Center. Photo by Elliot Schott
The Greyhounds after winning the 2026 Landmark Conference Championship at the Central PA Tennis Center. Photo by Elliot Schott
May 2, 2026

Greyhounds Win 2026 Landmark Conference Championship to Earn NCAA Division III Tournament Berth

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. --- The second seeded Moravian University women’s tennis squad outlasted top seed The University of Scranton, 4-3, at the Central Pennsylvania Tennis Center Saturday afternoon to capture the 2026 Landmark Conference Championship and an automatic berth to the 2026 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament. 

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SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. --- The second seeded Moravian University women's tennis squad outlasted top seed The University of Scranton, 4-3, at the Central Pennsylvania Tennis Center Saturday afternoon to capture the 2026 Landmark Conference Championship and an automatic berth to the 2026 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament. 

How It Happened

  • The Greyhounds captured doubles point and a 1-0 advantage with wins at second and third doubles. Junior Sydney Shifman and freshman Natalia Smith began the match with a 6-2 victory at second doubles while sophomore Jenna Gower and freshman Kaelyn Balko added a 6-1 triumph at third doubles to give the Blue & Grey the lead
  • Balko pushed the advantage to 2-0 with a 6-0, 6-1 win at fifth singles while Smith made it 3-0 after a 6-1, 6-2 triumph at third singles. The Royals captured straight sets wins at first and second singles and a three-set victory at sixth singles to tie the match at 3-3. The contest came down to fourth singles in a match that took over three hours to play with Shifman clinching the championship with a 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 victory
  • Shifman was selected as the Most Outstanding Player of the 2026 Landmark Conference Tournament after winning her singles match that was on the courts for 3:11 

Landmark Conference Championship History

  • The Greyhounds earned their sixth Landmark Conference Championship since the conference began during the 2007-08 season. 2026 marks the first time that Moravian has won the conference title while not the top seed in the tournament. The Blue & Grey were the top seed in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2019 and 2021
  • Moravian and Scranton have faced off six times for the Landmark Conference title with the Hounds winning five times. The only loss came last year in 2025
  • The Hounds advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the fifth time, and the program picked up NCAA Tournament First Round wins in 2019 and 2021 as Moravian is 2-4 all-time in NCAA Tournament play
  • The NCAA Selection Show for women's tennis is scheduled for Monday, May 4 at 12:00 p.m. on NCAA.com

Up Next for the Greyhounds

  • Thursday, May 7 or Friday, May 8 vs. To Be Announced in NCAA Division III Tournament First Round at site to be announced