CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Fighting Illini men's tennis has added Nic Meister for the 2020-21 season. The Chicago native joins the Illini after playing the last two seasons with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

Meister, a Latin School graduate, helped the Stags to a 33-2 record and an NCAA Division III runner-up finish as a freshman in 2019. At the time of the 2020 season's conclusion, CMS was 14-1. Meister posted a singles record of 30-6 in his two seasons at CMS. He reached the quarterfinals of the ITA West Regional and finished the fall of 2019 a regional ranking of No. 12.

Meister chose Illinois over Northwestern and Michigan, thanks in part to family ties. Both his parents and three of his grandparents attended the UI, along with four aunts and uncles and three cousins. 

"Illinois feels like home for me and has been home for so many of my family members and close friends," Meister said. "I've been an Illinois fan forever and have always wanted to play for them. Journalism is a large area of interest for me and Illinois allows me to major in it."

In addition to his family ties at the university, Meister has been practicing with and playing against new teammate Alex Bancila for the last five years. 

Meister intends to major in journalism.