Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | Hawk Talk Monthly – February | Fight For Iowa
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa men’s tennis team broke through the Top 20 of the ITA Division I National Rankings for the first time in program history on Wednesday. Iowa checks in at No. 20 after back-to-back home wins over Louisville and No. 16 Cornell. The Hawkeyes have been the third highest rated Big Ten team over the last month.
Iowa has won 10 of its first 11 home matches this spring, improving to 12-2 overall. The Hawkeyes’ win over No. 16 Cornell (4-3) last weekend was the highest ranked victory since Mellecker Family Head Men’s Tennis Coach Ross Wilson’s crew won at No. 14 Dartmouth in 2018.
Three student-athletes are also ranked; Kareem Allaf is ranked No. 51 in singles, while the doubles team of Will Davies/Oliver Okonkwo is No. 12.
Allaf is second in school history for combined singles and doubles victories (143). He also owns the second most singles wins in school history (85). Allaf is the ninth highest ranked singles player among student-athletes in the Big Ten.
Davies/Okonkwo’s No. 12 doubles ranking is the second highest in school history, besting their own record from the final fall rankings (No. 16). This spring, the tandem boasts a convincing victory over the No. 20 tandem from Middle Tennessee Motl/Sump and the No. 41 doubles team from Western Michigan Opitz/Nouchi. Davies/Okonkwo are the third highest ranked doubles team among student-athletes in the Big Ten.
Iowa returns to action March 20, against Minnesota. The match is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. (CT) at the Hawkeye Tennis & Recreation Complex.
