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THIS WEEK:
The University of Iowa men’s tennis team will travel to the stats of Illinois for two Big Ten matches this weekend. On Saturday, the Hawkeyes will face Northwestern at the Combe Tennis Center at noon (CT). On Sunday, Iowa will challenge 14th-ranked Illinois at noon (CT) at the Atkins Tennis Center.
LAST WEEK:
• The Hawkeyes swept No. 18 Minnesota (4-3) in Minneapolis and Wisconsin (4-3) in Iowa City to improve to 3-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since 1998.
• The two wins marked the first time since 1989, that Iowa swept border rivals Minnesota and Wisconsin in the same season.
NORTHWESTERN BREAKDOWN:
• The Wildcats enter this matchup, 10-9 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten.
• Northwestern is 7-2 in home matches this season.
• Head coach Arvid Swan is in his 11th year at the helm with a 173-113 overall record, while taking the Wildcats to six straight NCAA tournaments.
#14 ILLINOIS BREAKDOWN:
• Like the Hawkeyes, the 14th-ranked Fighting Illini currently have an unblemished Big Ten record (3-0) and are 9-6 overall. Illinois will host Nebraska on Saturday.
• Illinois boasts a 7-0 record when they win the doubles point this year. They also boast two ranked singles players at the top of their lineup; No. 14 Aleks Kovacevic and No. 31 Alex Brown.
• Brad Dancer is in his 14th season and has taken the Illini to 13-straight NCAA tournaments.
HAWKEYE NOTABLES:
• Kareem Allaf won 11 matches during competition, including seven in a row to capture the ITA Central Regional championship. He became the third Hawkeye to accomplish the feat in school history.
• The Hawkeyes improved to 10-0 this season when winning on court one in doubles.
• Iowa improved to 8-0 and 6-0 when winning o n courts six and two in singles, respectively.
• Will Davies has won a team-best 13 singles matches this spring. The sophomore is 13-3, including a perfect 4-0 record on court four.
• Oliver Okonkwo has won 20 doubles matches (fall & spring), which ties for seventh most in a single-season in program history.
FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES:
Fans can follow the Hawkeyes all season long and receive live match updates on Facebook (facebook.com/IowaMensTennis) and Twitter (@IowaMensTennis). Fans can also get a behind the scenes look on Instagram (iowamenstennis).
HEAD COACH ROSS WILSON:
Ross Wilson, a former two-time NCAA All-American and three-time ITA national doubles champion at Ohio State, is in his fifth season as head coach and sixth year with the Iowa men’s tennis program.
