April 14, 2009

PARK RIDGE, Ill. - Illinois freshman Dennis Nevolo of the No. 11-ranked Illinois men's tennis team was named Co-Big Ten Player of the Week for the week ending April 12, the conference office announced Tuesday. This marks the second time Nevolo has garnered the conference accolade this season and fifth time an Illini has received the weekly honor during the 2009 season. Nevolo shares the honor the with Ohio State's Bryan Koniecko.

The 36th-ranked Nevolo went a combined 6-0 this past week with a string of tough matches against No. 14 Kentucky, Penn State, and No. 3 Ohio State.

Nevolo and partner Ruan Roelofse, currently ranked No. 23 in the Campbell/ITA rankings, clinched the doubles point at No. 1 doubles in the match against Kentucky. The Illini duo edged the Wildcats' 19th-ranked duo of Bruno Agostinelli and Brad Cox, 9-8 (3). Against the Nittany Lions, the Illini tandem took an impressive 8-5 win at No. 2 doubles over Penn State's Guillaume St. Maurice and Brendan Lynch. The Illini pair completed their trifecta in doubles with an 8-7 (3) victory over Ohio State's Matt Allare and Chase Buchanan on Sunday.

In singles, Nevolo tallied a straight sets win over Kentucky's Brad Cox, 6-2, 6-2, before dominating Penn State's Adam Slagter at No. 3 singles, 6-0, 6-2 in the Illinois sweep of the Nittany Lions. Nevolo's biggest match of the week came on Sunday, April 12 as he battled to a three-set upset win over Ohio State's No. 18-ranked Justin Kronauge at No. 3 singles, 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (9). Overall, Nevolo is 23-10 on the season in singles.

Nevolo and the Illini wrap up the regular season with a pair of conference road matches at No. 48 Michigan on Saturday, April 18, followed by a matchup with the Michigan State Spartans on Sunday, April 19 in East Lansing. Both matches are set for 11 a.m. CT. starts.