Home Opener Up Next for Fighting Illini

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini women's tennis team is set for its 2025 home opener on Saturday, Jan. 25, against Northwestern in out-of-conference action. Play from the Atkins Tennis Center is slated for 12 p.m. CT, and admission is free.

Northwestern enters Saturday's match with a 1-0 record after earning a 7-0 sweep over Butler. The Orange and Blue will be on the hunt for their first win of the season after suffering a 4-2 loss at Notre Dame last weekend.

Saturday's meeting marks the 68th dual match all-time between Illinois and Northwestern. The Fighting Illini are 12-55 all-time vs. the Wildcats and 4-5 under head coach Evan Clark. Illinois has claimed the last four decisions between the sides.

Jan. 18 at Notre Dame - 2: Schaefbauer/Treiber, 3: Xu/Madatali

Team –

• Neither team ranked in the top 25

Doubles –

• No. 42 – Britany Lau/Mika Dagan Fruchtman – Northwestern

Singles –

• No. 109 – McKenna Schaefbauer – Illinois
• No. 111 – Violeta Martinez – Illinois

ILLINI NOTES

• Head coach Evan Clark is in his 10th year as the head coach of Illinois women's tennis, holds an overall dual record of 131-86 (.604), and is 66-31 (.680) in Big Ten play during his time as an Illini. Including his time as the head coach at UNC-Wilmington, Clark owns a 162-97 record overall.
• The Illini are coming off a 17-10 season with an 8-3 Big Ten record in 2023-24. The Illini's 17 wins were the third-most under Coach Clark and tied for the 10th-most in a season in program history. Three of those top-10 marks have come under Clark. UI earned its 15th appearance to the NCAA Team Tournament in program history.
• Illinois has made the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons for the second time under Clark and for the seventh time in program history. Last season's appearance marked the fourth with Clark at the helm.
• During the preseason, junior McKenna Schaefbauer was selected to the Big Ten Women's Tennis Players to Watch List. Schaefbauer is coming off a successful sophomore campaign that featured a 17-10 overall singles record and an 18-16 overall mark on the doubles courts. The transfer appeared at all six singles slots and all three doubles courts for the Illini in 2024.
• Illinois owns a 72-24 record when playing at home under Evan Clark (begins 2016 dual season).

NEXT UP

Illinois' homestand continues against Georgia Tech (Jan. 31) and Colorado (Feb. 2) next weekend before switching gears to host the ITA National Indoor Championships from Feb. 7-9.