CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – With two weekends of Big Ten play in the books, the Fighting Illini women's tennis team returns home to host in-state rival Northwestern. Action will take place from the Atkins Tennis Center on Saturday, March 30, at 4 p.m. CT as part of a doubleheader with the Illinois men's squad.
No. 37 Northwestern enters the weekend with a 13-4 overall record including a 4-0 mark in Big Ten play. While the Wildcats are 8-0 when playing at home this season, they are 3-4 in away matches.
No. 41 Illinois sits at 11-6 on the season and 3-1 in league play through two Big Ten weekends.
LAST TIME OUT
In their first weekend of Big Ten away matches, the Illini returned home with a split. The Orange and Blue took a 4-2 loss to Iowa on Friday before responding with a 4-1 victory over Nebraska on Sunday. Former Illini associate head coach German Dalmagro is now the head coach of the Cornhuskers.
UI earned the doubles point against Iowa with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. Illini freshman Alice Xu picked up a singles win at No. 6, marking three straight victories on the singles courts.
Sunday's results would start with Nebraska earning the doubles point before the Illini responded with four singles wins before the Huskers could pick up another decision. Xu won again for her fourth straight win while McKenna Schaefbauer, Josie Frazier, and Kasia Treiber each earned wins as well.
ILLINI VS. THE FIELD
Northwestern leads the all-time series 55-11. Illinois has won the last three meetings against the Wildcats. Under Clark, Illinois is 3-5 against Northwestern.
ILLINI NOTES
- After receiving votes in the final two top-25 polls, Illinois moved up to No. 24 in the first computerized rankings of the season. The ranking was the best by the Illini since the 2019 campaign.
- The Illini now sit at No. 41 with an 11-6 record.
- On Feb. 21, Kasia Treiber was tabbed the Big Ten Women's Tennis Player of the Week - the first honor of her career. Treiber posted a 2-0 weekend at No. 3 singles in the Fighting Illini's wins over Brown and Marshall at Atkins Tennis Center. Both were straight-set victories.
- Illinois is off to a 7-1 start when playing at the Atkins Tennis Center this season, while the Illini are 2-1 in their road match this season.
- Megan Heuser and Alice Xu are 9-3 as a partnership this season, which has them at No. 47 in the ITA doubles rankings.
- After an 8-1 start when working together in doubles play, Heuser and Xu made their first appearance in the ITA rankings at No. 35 on March 5.
- Head coach Evan Clark is in his ninth year as the head coach of Illinois women's tennis, holds an overall dual record of 125-81 (.607), and is 61-29 (.678) in Big Ten play during his time as an Illini. Including his time as the head coach at UNC-Wilmington, Clark owns a 156-92 record overall.
- The Illini are coming off an 18-10 season with an 8-3 Big Ten record in 2022-23. The Illini's 18 wins tied the sixth-most in a single season in program history. UI earned its 14th appearance to the NCAA Team Tournament in program history. The last time Illinois made the NCAA Tournament as a team was the 2019 campaign. The 2023 appearance marked the third with Clark at the helm.
- Illinois returns six of its eight players from last season, including fifth-year senior Josie Frazier and senior Kate Duong. Additionally, Megan Heuser, Kasia Treiber, and Kida Ferrari return for their junior campaigns, and Violeta Martinez begins her sophomore dual season. The Illini welcomed South Carolina transfer, but Illinois native, McKenna Schaefbauer along with freshmen Rosie Seccia and Alice Xu.
DOUBLES POINTS
Jan. 14 vs. EIU - 2: Ferrari/Martinez, 3: Treiber/Xu
Jan. 20 vs. No. 15 Duke - 2: Duong/Frazier, 3: Ferrari/Martinez
Feb. 11 vs. Ole Miss - 2: Heuser/Xu, 3: Martinez/Treiber
Feb. 18 vs. Marshall - 1: Heuser/Xu, 2: Schaefbauer/Martinez
Feb. 23 vs. Tulsa - 1: Heuser/Xu, 2: Schaefbauer/Martinez
Feb. 23 vs. Wake Forest - 1: Heuser/Xu, 3: Frazier/Ferrari
March 1 vs. Washington - 1: Heuser/Xu, 2: Schaefbauer/Martinez
March 15 vs. Maryland - 1: Heuser/ Xu, 3: Schaefbauer/Treiber
March 17 vs. Rutgers - 2: Ferrari/Frazier, 3: Schaefbauer/Treiber
March 22 at Iowa – 2: Ferrari/Frazier, 3: Schaefbauer/Treiber
CLINCHES
Jan. 14 vs. Missouri - Violeta Martinez (No. 4 singles)
Jan. 14 vs. EIU - Violeta Martinez (No. 2 singles)
Jan. 19 vs. Charlotte - Megan Heuser (No. 1 singles)
Jan. 28 vs. No. 23 UCF - Kasia Treiber (No. 3 singles)
Feb. 11 vs. Ole Miss - Kasia Treiber (No. 3 singles)
Feb. 17 vs. Brown - Josie Frazier (No. 5 singles)
Feb. 18 vs. Marshall - Kasia Treiber (No. 3 singles)
Feb. 23 vs. Tulsa - Josie Frazier (No. 5 singles)
March 15 vs. Maryland - Megan Heuser (No. 1 singles)
March 17 vs. Rutgers - Kasia Treiber (No. 4 singles)
March 24 at Nebraska – Josie Frazier (No. 3 singles)
RANKING NOTES
Team (1-75)
- 37 – Northwestern (13-4)
- 41 – Illinois (11-6)
Doubles (1-60)
Singles (1-125)
- No. 88 Justine Leong (Northwestern)
NEXT UP
Next week, Illinois will split time home and on the road. Minnesota will visit the Atkins Tennis Central on Friday, April 5 for a 3 p.m. match. From there, Illinois will hit the road for a contest at Wisconsin on Sunday, April 7.
