Sept. 10, 2008

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Eight Illinois men's tennis players received selections to the 2008 D'Novo All-American Championships at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla., hosted by the University of Tulsa, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced.

Junior Billy Heiser, who garnered a No. 70 ranking in the 2008 preseason ITA poll, will be joined by senior Marc Spicijaric, sophomores Waylon Chin, Roy Kalmanovich, Connor Roth and Abe Souza, along with freshmen Dennis Nevolo and Ruan Roelofse.

Joining Heiser in the top-125 were Kalmanovich (No. 98) and Spicijaric (No. 110). In the preseason ITA doubles rankings, the Illini tandem of Heiser and Nevolo were ranked No. 20, while the duo of Spicijaric and Roelofse enter the charts at No. 41.

For Chin, Souza, Roth, and Roelofse, the road to the All-American Championships begins Oct. 3-5, in the prequalifying singles draw, requiring six wins for each Illini to advance to the singles main draw.

Heiser, Kalmanovich, Nevolo, and Spicijaric earned spots in the qualifying draw, which runs Oct. 6-8, and requires only three wins to advance to the singles main draw.

The qualifying doubles draw begins on Oct. 7th with the tandems of Kalmanovich/Chin, Spicijaric/Roelofse, and Heiser/Nevelo all looking to advance to the 32-team main draw.

The main draw of the 2008 D'Novo All-American Championships runs Oct. 9-12.

The Illini open up their season this weekend at the 2008 Napa Valley Tennis Classic, Sept. 12-14.