URBANA, Ill. –  The Illinois women's tennis team earned a bid in the 2018 NCAA Women's Tennis Tournament on Tuesday afternoon. UI will compete in the NCAA Tournament field for the first time since 2012.

Illinois will travel to Lubbock, Texas, for the NCAA First Round, where the Orange and Blue will take on Princeton on Friday, May 11. Host team, Texas Tech, as well as Army-West Point, join the Illinois and Princeton in the Lubbock Regional.

Illinois in the NCAA Tournament

• 2018 marks the 12^th appearance for the Fighting Illini in the NCAA Championships. The Illini have a 3-11 record in NCAA Tournament play and will make their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament field since 2012.
• Illinois has reached the Round of 32 twice in program history (2003, 2009).

Quick Glance at the NCAA First and Second Rounds

• Texas Tech enters the NCAA Tournament as the No. 11 seed. The Red Raiders are 20-6 overall this season with a 7-2 mark in Big 12 Conference play. Texas Tech reached the Big 12 Conference championship, where they fell to Texas, 4-1. Illinois is 0-2 all-time against the Red Raiders.
• Princeton (19-3) is currently riding a seven-match winning streak. The 2018 Ivy League Champions are 1-1 against the Fighting Illini.
• The 2018 Patriot League Champions, Army-West Point, round of the Lubbock Regional. The Black Knights have compiled a 21-6 overall record this season and have won their last six matches.

The Championships Site

Wake Forest will host the 2018 NCAA Team Championship as the Top 16 men's and women's tennis teams will begin play on Thursday, May 17, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Hosted at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex, play in the women's round of 16 will commence on Thursday, May 17, and play in the men's round of 16 will begin on Friday, May 18.

A Season of Milestones

• Best start in program history at 21-5
• 21 wins ranks No. 2 in the Illinois record books and match the most in a single season since 1982
• 11-1 record at the Atkins Tennis Center mark the second-most home wins in a single season for UI and most since the 2015 season
• Illinois earned the doubles point in each home match this year
• Highest ranking in Illinois women's tennis history (No. 5)
• Three wins against Top-25 opponents in a single season for the first time in program history
• Hosted first women's Top-15 matchup at Atkins Tennis Center on March 2nd against Northwestern
• Mia Rabinowitz became the first Illini freshman to win a B1G weekly honor since 2004
• With Illinois' February 2 win over then No. 11-Texas, UI earned its first win over a Top-20 opponent since 2012
• Earned the program's first wins over Auburn, Washington and William & Mary
• Most wins in a single season under head coach Evan Clark

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