Match 12: Illinois vs. Northwestern  

The No. 5 Fighting Illini Women's tennis team will compete in a Top-15 matchup at the Atkins Tennis Center for the first time in program history. UI will take on in-state rival, No. 14 Northwestern, at 2 pm. Illinois is currently on a seven-match winning streak and off to the program's best start since 1982. Illinois most recently won the 2018 Blue Gray National Tennis Classic with a 4-3 win over then-No. 10-ranked, Wake Forest.

Switkes Earns Big Ten Tennis Athlete of the Week: February 27

Switkes opened the Blue Gray Tennis Classic by clinching her second-straight match as the Illini topped Yale, 4-1. The Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, native then went on to win two more singles matches over ITA-ranked opponents on Saturday. Switkes defeated Auburn's No. 60-ranked Jaeda Daniel, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 and then won 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 against No. 10 Wake Forest's No. 63-ranked, Eliza Omirou. Illinois went on to defeat No. 10 Wake Forest, 4-3 and earn the tournament title. Switkes was named the MVP of the tournament.

Illini Win Blue Gray National Tennis Classic 

The No. 5 University of Illinois women's tennis team won the 2018 Blue Gray National Tennis Classic on Saturday afternoon with a 4-3 win over the No. 10 Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Junior Jaclyn Switkes was named MVP of the tournament. Illinois has won seven-straight matches and improves to 10-1 overall this season.

Switkes Enters Singles Rankings 

Junior Jaclyn Switkes entered the Oracle/ITA Singles rankings for the first time in her career. Switkes sits at No. 79 with a 5-2 dual match record in singles play. The Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida native, most recently clinched Illinois's 4-3 thriller over then-No. 22 Washington in a third-set tiebreaker, 7-4 against the No. 36 Vanessa Wong. 

Illinois Reaches Program's Highest Oracle/ITA Ranking 

Just two weeks after being ranked in the Oracle/ITA Top-25 for the first time since 2013, the No. 5-ranked Orange and Blue reached the highest team ranking in program history. Illinois was coming off a 2-0 weekend at the Atkins Tennis Center, where Illinois topped Iowa and a ranked Washington team. After two weeks ranked in the Top-5, Illinois has won another Top-10 matchup against No. 10 Wake Forest at the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic on Saturday. 

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