CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini Women's Tennis Head Coach Evan Clark and his staff have announced the addition of three student-athletes to the program. Shravani Chennamsetty, Kimiko Cooper, and Lyla Messler have all signed Big Ten Athletics Scholarship Agreements, committing to Illinois.
"We are thrilled to welcome Shravani, Lyla, and Kimiko to the Illinois women's tennis family," said Clark. "First and foremost, we are gaining three outstanding individuals whose character will have an immediate, positive impact both on and off the court. Additionally, we are adding three exceptionally talented and hardworking student-athletes who will help elevate our program for years to come."
"If you look at their tennis over the past few years, it's clear they have steadily risen in the rankings and demonstrated impressive growth in a short span," Clark continued. "That's exactly what we look for, and it's exciting because we know their best tennis is still ahead of them here at the University of Illinois. When the recruiting process with the athlete and their family is smooth and enjoyable, it's a strong sign of a bright future. The 2026 class was incredibly important for us. We were looking to replace a class that had been the cornerstone of our program, and we feel very confident that we accomplished that with these three. From the beginning, we recognized Shravani, Lyla, and Kimiko as excellent fits, and we feel extremely fortunate to see this class come together exactly as we envisioned."
SHRAVANI CHENNAMSETTY // WESTON, FLORIDA
Shravani Chennamsetty, a Weston, Fla., native, attends Broward Virtual School. She's a blue-chip rated recruit by tennisrecruiting.net and has ranked as high as No. 21 national and No. 8 in Florida by TRN.
Chennamsetty won both the ITF J30 singles and doubles championships in the Dominican Republic in August 2023. She went on to win the 2024 Bobby Curtis Championship and was also honored as the Bobby Curtis Sportsmanship Award winner that year. In 2024, Chennamsetty finished in fifth place at the USTA L1 Winter National Championship.
Off the court, Chennamsetty volunteers with ACEing Autism, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children with autism grow through the sport of tennis. Additionally, she's been recognized by her hometown mayor for academic excellence and founding her own organization: Protect Dreams.
She is the daughter of Maruti Chennamsetty and Susmitha Kondeti and plans to major in business at Illinois.
Clark on the addition of Chennamsetty: "Shravani caught our attention from the very beginning and continued to impress us over time. We feel extremely fortunate that she was such a great fit for both sides. She is a naturally-gifted athlete and a highly-intelligent tennis player. Shravani has consistently demonstrated the determination and skill to find a way to win and what's truly exciting is that she has only begun to tap into her potential. There is no limit to where her game can go, and we are thrilled that Shravani's best tennis is still ahead of her here at the University of Illinois."
KIMIKO COOPER // SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Kimiko Cooper, a Sydney, Australia, native, attends Laurel Springs Online High School (Years 10-12), following her time at the Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney (Years 7-9). Cooper has earned an ITF career-high ranking of 164 and owns a current UTR rating of 9.93. She has won three ITF singles titles and two ITF doubles titles across her career. This fall, Cooper has collected a total of 11 WTA points.
Cooper was a member of the New South Wales 15-and-under girls team that won the Wayne Reid Cup at the National Teams Championships in July 2023. She would go on to break into the world's top 200 in the junior rankings that September and was named the 2023 Tennis NSW Junior Female Athlete of the Year.
Cooper earned an invite to participate at the inaugural Tennis Australia Talent Combine and she competed in the Australian Open Junior Championships in 2024, one of the prestigious four junior grand slams.
She's the daughter of Charmaine and Chris Cooper and has a brother, Xavier. Cooper will enroll at Illinois for the spring 2026 semester and begin competing with the team at that point.
Clark on the addition of Cooper: "We're excited to welcome Kimiko to our program. She immediately stood out, and it was clear from the start that she was someone we wanted on our team. Kimiko's combination of athleticism, competitive drive, and unwavering work ethic is truly special. Over the past few years, she has shown remarkable growth and development in a very short time, and it's clear that her best is still ahead of her. Kimiko is just getting started, and we're confident she will continue to elevate her game. We can't wait to see the impact she will make in an Illini uniform and watch her continue to rise to new heights."
LYLA MESSLER // LARGO, FLORIDA
Lyla Messler, a Largo, Fla., native, currently attends Osceola Fundamental High School. She is rated a 5-star recruit by tennisrecruiting.net, reaching as high as No. 33 nationally and No. 10 in Florida for the class of 2026.
In 2023, Messler won the Florida High School singles state championship. She was the 2024 USTA Girls 16s Coral Gables National L2 singles champion and also claimed the 2024 Eddie Herr doubles title. In 2025, Messler added the Bobby Curtis Girls 18s singles championship to her accolades.
Off the court, Messler is on track to graduate in the top five percent of her high school class with an unweighted GPA of 4.0.
She is the daughter of Stephanie and Jordan Messler.
Clark on the addition of Messler: "We have been so impressed with Lyla since day one. From the very beginning, it was clear that she is a fantastic athlete with a diverse set of tools and the potential to become a truly exceptional all-court player. What excites us most is that her game is still very raw, meaning there is tremendous room for positive growth and development. When everything clicks for her, the results will be something truly special. We are confident that Lyla's most significant growth and accomplishments will come during her four years as an Illini, and we could not be more thrilled to watch her reach her full potential in the orange and blue."
Clark on the 2026 signing class: "We are truly honored that Shravani, Kimiko, and Lyla have chosen the University of Illinois, our coaching staff, and our program to guide them through the next chapters of their academic and tennis journeys. We are equally grateful for their belief in our program and the trust they've placed in us to help develop them over the next four years. Each of them already understands just how special the University of Illinois is, and the pride they've shown for our great institution is a promising sign of the remarkable things to come when they eventually don the orange and blue. Welcome to Illinois, Shravani, Kimiko, and Lyla!"
