June 1, 2009
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - In the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's (ITA) postseason attendance race, the No. 33-ranked Illinois women's tennis team came in at No. 1 in overall single match attendance, with 495 fans attending the Illini's NCAA first round match against the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex on May 9.
Head Coach Michelle Dasso and the Illini were second in overall total attendance with 676 fans attending the Urbana-Champaign NCAA regional over the course of the May 9-10 weekend. The Orange and Blue also finished runner-up in average postseason attendance with approximately 338 fans at each of their matches.
WHITE MAKES IMPRESSIVE RUN AT PALMETTO PRO OPEN
Incoming freshman Rachael White had an impressive run at the Palmetto Pro Open on the ITF Women's Circuit in Sumter, South Carolina last week. After advancing through the qualifying draw, White earned a spot in the second round after a straight sets win over Elizabeth Begley in the first round, 6-1, 7-6 (6). In the second round, White faced No. 7-seeded Taka Bertrand, where the incoming Illini end her impressive run, falling in a tight three-set match to Bertrand, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (4).
ILLINI IN THE RANKINGS
In the final Campbell's/ITA rankings of the season, the Illini finished at No. 33, capping an amazing 19-8 season for the Orange and Blue.
Individually, junior Megan Fudge earned a No. 58 ranking in the final ITA singles poll, while redshirt-sophomore Leigh Finnegan garnered a No. 105 ranking in the rankings. Fudge, a three-time All-Big Ten selection, ended the 2008-09 campaign with an overall record of 30-7, tying for fourth on Illinois' most singles wins in a season list. Finnegan, a 2009 All-Big Ten selection, wrapped up the 2008-09 season with an overall singles record of 21-13, her first 20+ win of her Illini career.
ITA POSTSEASON ATTENDANCE RACE
DIVISION I WOMEN
Overall Total Attendance
1. Florida, 812
2. Illinois, 676
3. Baylor, 403
4. Notre Dame, 379
5. Northwestern, 370
Overall Average Attendance
1. Florida, 406
2. Illinois, 338
3. Baylor, 202
4. Notre Dame, 190
5. Northwestern, 185
Overall Single Match Attendance
1. Vanderbilt at Illinois, 495
2. College of Charleston at Florida, 490
3. Florida State at Florida, 322
4. Michigan at Notre Dame, 254
5. Kentucky at Northwestern, 225
