THIS WEEK:
The University of Iowa men’s tennis team will begin Big Ten competition this weekend, hosting a pair of matches at the Hawkeye Tennis & Recreation Complex. The Hawkeyes will host Indiana on Friday (1 p.m. CT) and Purdue on Sunday (noon CT). Seven of Iowa’s first nine matches will be contested in Iowa City. Due to the pandemic, there will be no general admission admittance.
FOLLOW THE ACTION LIVE:
Fans can follow the action from every home match this season with live scoring and/or live stream via PlaySight. Click on the live links on the Iowa Men’s Tennis Schedule webpage at hawkeyesports.com.
ON IOWA:
Iowa is a veteran squad featuring seven upperclassmen and two freshmen. Kareem Allaf is in his sixth year in the program; Jason Kerst is a fifth-year senior, while Will Davies and Joe Tyler are in their fourth year at Iowa.
INDIANA BREAKDOWN:
• The Hoosiers were 8-3 overall and winners of five straight matches before the 2020 season was canceled due to the pandemic.
• Senior Bennett Crane is ranked No. 48 in the country in singles.
• Iowa is 19-57 all-time against Indiana. The Hosiers have won 11 of the last 12 meetings against the Hawkeyes with the lone Iowa win coming at the 2016 Big Ten Tournament.
PURDUE BREAKDOWN:
• Purdue posted a 10-7 record in 2020 before the season was canceled due to the pandemic.
• The Boilermakers open their season Friday evening at Nebraska prior to making the trip over to Iowa City for Sunday’s match.
• Iowa is 41-35 all-time versus Purdue. The Hawkeyes last beat the Boilermakers in 2018 in Iowa City (4-3).
HAWKEYE NOTEABLES:
• Kareem Allaf is ranked a career-best No. 39 in singles, while the doubles team of Oliver Okonkwo and Will Davies are ranked No. 17 nationally. Allaf’s preseason national ranking is believed to be the highest by a Hawkeye.
• Allaf has 150 combined wins in singles and doubles, 10 victories shy of the program record set by Tyler Cleveland. Allaf has amassed 88 career singles wins, which ranks second in school history.
• Okonkwo and Davies enter their third season as doubles partners. The duo bounced three ranked opponents last season.
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 sixth season as the Mellecker Family Head Men’s Tennis Coach and seventh year with the Iowa men’s tennis program.