The University of Illinois Fighting Illini Women’s Tennis team will play its final home match of the season against Bradley on April 14 at the Atkins Tennis Center, with action set to begin at 4 p.m. Central Time and free admission for fans.
This nonconference matchup marks the last opportunity for local supporters to see the Illini compete at home before they finish their regular season on the road. The University of Illinois Fighting Illini Women’s Tennis team is based in Champaign, Illinois, according to the official website.
Illinois enters this contest ranked No. 57 nationally with a record of 9-12 overall and a 5-6 mark in Big Ten Conference play. Nine of their losses have come against top-25 ranked opponents. The program participates in NCAA Division I competition, according to the official website.
Bradley arrives with a 9-10 overall record and is currently riding a four-match win streak. The Braves hold a 4-2 record within Missouri Valley Conference play but have never defeated Illinois, which leads their all-time series 11-0.
Several individual highlights punctuate Illinois’ season so far. Senior McKenna Schaefbauer was named Big Ten Women’s Tennis Player of the Week following an undefeated opening weekend that included her highest-ranked singles win over a No. 40 opponent. She has since earned additional victories over ranked players and reached as high as No. 29 in ITA singles rankings during March.
The Fighting Illini’s roster features both experienced athletes and newcomers: sophomore Ariel Madatali was listed among the Big Ten Players to Watch; transfers Tess Bucher (from Kentucky) and Cara Mester (from Oklahoma) joined this year; while freshmen Risa Ueno, Lizzie Isyanov, and Kimiko Cooper contributed after being part of a recruiting class ranked No. 14 nationally by Tennis Recruiting Network.
Head coach Evan Clark is serving his eleventh year leading Illinois women’s tennis, holding an overall dual record of 156-112 (.582), including three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances under his tenure—a feat achieved only three times in program history—according to information from the official website.
After facing Bradley, Illinois will close out its regular season schedule with matches at Rutgers on April 17 and Maryland on April 19.
