Schedule  

URBANA, Ill. – The Illinois women's tennis program announced a competitive slate for the 2017-18 season on Monday afternoon. After a challenging fall season, the regular season schedule features 12 dual matches at the Atkins Tennis Center and seven opponents that finished the 2017 season in the final ITA team rankings.

"We are excited once again for the challenging schedule we have ahead of us this season," said head coach Evan Clark. "Our philosophy is and always will be to play a highly competitive non-conference slate to fully prepare to have success in the Big Ten, Big Ten tournament and the NCAA tournament.  I know our team learned a lot from their experiences from last year's schedule and I am confident they will maximize the opportunities our schedule provides them this year."

Jan. 21 – Florida State and Eastern Illinois | Atkins Tennis Center

• FSU finished No. 30 in the final ITA rankings in 2017. The Illini traveled to Tallahassee last season where the Orange and Blue swept FSU on March 10.
• Illinois hosts EIU for the third-straight season and hold a 10-4 all-time record against the Panthers.

Jan. 26-17 – ITA Kick-Off Weekend | Chapel Hill, N.C.

• Illinois travels to host school North Carolina for the 2018 ITA Kick-Off Weekend. The Illini are the No. 2 seed in the four-team region and will face William and Mary on Friday, Jan. 26. Based on Friday's result, UI will take on UNC or Winthrop in a Saturday afternoon match.

Feb. 2 – Texas | Feb. 9 – Furman | Atkins Tennis Center

• The Longhorns arrive in Urbana for a contest with the Illini for the first time since the 2012 season. Illinois won the previous match up, 4-3 on March 21, 2012.
• The Illini are 1-0 against Furman with the only other meeting on Feb. 3, 2013.

Feb. 11 – at Notre Dame

• Illinois is 8-29 all-time against the Fighting Irish.

Feb. 17 – Iowa | Feb. 18 – Washington | Atkins Tennis Center

• The 2018 Big Ten opener will feature the Iowa Hawkeyes on a Saturday morning. Illinois is 29-25 against Iowa and won the last meeting between the two teams, 5-2 on March 31.
• Washington travels to Urbana for the first time since the 2007 season. Illinois has never defeated the Huskies.

March 2 – Northwestern | March 9 – Indiana | March 10 – Purdue | Atkins Tennis Center

• UI hosts three-straight Big Ten opponents to open the month of March. The Illini went 2-1 against the three opponents in 2017 with victories versus Indiana and Purdue.

March 21 – at Hawaii | March 24 – at UC-Santa Barbara

• A West Coast trip will be the first matches with Hawaii and UCSB since the 2015 season. The last time the Illini travelled to Hawaii was during the 2009 campaign.
• Illinois is 4-1 against Hawaii and 1-2 versus UCSB.

March 30 – at Rutgers | April 1 – Maryland | Atkins Tennis Center 

• UI will look to maintain an unblemished record against Rutgers.
• The Terrapins are 1-6 against the Illini in program history with Illinois' last win coming in the 2017 Big Ten Tournament.

April 7 – at Michigan | April 8 – at Michigan State

• Illinois will look to defeat the Wolverines for the first time since the 2004 season.
• The Illini are 33-12 in program history versus Michigan State with a 4-1 win last April.

April 13 – Minnesota | April 15 – Wisconsin | Atkins Tennis Center

• UI was 2-0 against the Gophers and Badgers in 2017.

April 20 – at Ohio State | April 22 – at Penn State

• Illinois travels to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes after dropping a 4-3 thriller in the 2017 Big Ten Tournament at the Atkins Tennis Center.
• The Illini are 24-3 against Penn State with a 4-0 sweep on April 16.

April 26-29 – Big Ten Tournament | Minneapolis, Minn.

• Minnesota hosts the 2018 Big Ten Tournament. Illinois has reached the semifinals of the event in each of the past two seasons.

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