CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois is set to visit Raleigh, N.C., for the ITA Kick-off Weekend, hosted by NC State on Saturday and Sunday, January 28-29.
The Illini (1-0) will take on the weekend host, No. 3 NC State (1-0), on Saturday at 10 a.m. CT before facing either No. 21 Vanderbilt (1-0) or Furman (0-2) on Sunday. The winners of each regional site then advance to the ITA Division I National Team Indoor Championships on Feb. 10-13 in Seattle, Wash.
Last Time Out
Last weekend Illinois secured a 4-3 win over Kentucky from Lexington in its season opener.
Illini vs. the Field
Saturday’s matchup against No. 3 NC State will be the first time the two teams have ever meet.
Illinois trail in the all-time series vs. Vanderbilt, 1-4. Most recently, suffering a 4-1 defeat to the Commodores on Jan. 27, 2013.
The Illini have faced Furman twice in program history, coming out on top on both occasions, most recently with a 7-0 win on Feb. 9, 2014.
Illini Notes
Illinois participated in the ITA Kick-off Weekend last year, falling to No. 18 Florida State and FIU.
Head coach Evan Clark is in his eighth year as the head coach of Illinois women’s tennis and holds an overall dual record of 98-67 (.594) and is 50-25 (.667) in Big Ten play.
The Illini are coming off a 16-9 season with an 8-3 Big Ten record in 2021-22.
Illinois returns seven of its eight players from last season, including seniors Emily Casati, Josie Frazier, and Ashley Yeah; junior Kate Duong; and sophomores Kida Ferrari, Megan Heuser, and Kasia Treiber. The Illini also welcomed new freshman Violeta Martinez to the squad. All eight Illini will travel for the match.
Next Up
Next Friday, Feb. 3, the Illini will be back home at Atkins Tennis Center to face No. 25 Georgia Tech.
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