CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men's tennis team has earned an at-large berth in the 2026 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship and will serve as a host site for the first two rounds, marking the program's 19th appearance in the competition under 21-year head coach Brad Dancer. The Fighting Illini heard their name called during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Monday.
No. 14 Illinois will take on Yale in the first round on Friday at 6 p.m. CT at Atkins Tennis Center. The winner will take on either host Notre Dame or Vanderbilt – who will face off on Friday at 3 p.m. CT – in the second round on Saturday at 4 p.m. CT.
Ahead of the Orange and Blue's 29th overall appearance in the national event, the Illini hold a 53-27 record in NCAA Tournament play. Across the team's 28 NCAA Tournament appearances, the Orange and Blue have advanced to the second round 23 times, to the third round 17 times, to the quarterfinals seven times, to the semifinals three times, and to the final twice. Illinois has one national championship in program history, which came during the team's undefeated 2003 season. Illinois will serve as a host site for the 20th time in program history.
We look forward to hosting Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and Yale at Atkins Tennis Center.
TEAMS AT THE URBANA REGIONAL
SCHEDULE
Friday, May 1 – First Round
3 p.m. CT: Notre Dame vs. Vanderbilt
6 p.m. CT: Illinois vs. Yale
Saturday, May 2 – Second Round
4 p.m. CT: Illinois/Yale winner vs. Notre Dame/Vanderbilt winner
TICKETS
Tickets are available for purchase HERE. Fans are encouraged to buy tickets in advance, while they will also be on sale at the venue.
General admission tickets are $6, while student tickets are $3.
Friday GA tickets: BUY NOW
Saturday GA tickets: BUY NOW
LIVE STATS
Live stats for all three matches are available HERE.
LIVE STREAMS
Live streams for all three matches are available on Playsight or on FightingIllini.com.
PARKING
Free parking is available in the main Atkins Tennis Center lot, located directly east of the facility. The parking lot is accessible off Goodwin Avenue.
Atkins Tennis Center Match Day Information
