THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s tennis team returns to Iowa City to host Indiana on Friday at 3 p.m. (CT) at the Hawkeye Recreation and Tennis Complex. The Hawkeyes remain at home to host Purdue on Sunday at 10 a.m. (CT). There will be no fans allowed at either matches due to COVID-19 restrictions. You can follow along through live stream or live stats, which are available on Iowa’s women’s tennis schedule.
Iowa has previously competed against Purdue at the Purdue Invite. The Hawkeyes won two of the three doubles matches as well as four singles matches.
ON IOWA
The Hawkeyes are coming into this week 3-1 in the Big Ten after winning both matches Feb. 19-21. Iowa beat Wisconsin 4-3 on Feb. 19 for the first time since 2017. The Hawkeyes also defeated Minnesota, 5-2, which is the first win against the Gophers since 2017.
IOWA STARTS STRONG
Iowa is 3-1 in the Big Ten for the first time since 2017. The Hawkeyes are looking for the best start in the Big Ten since 2006 when they opened the conference season 5-1. That season, Iowa finished 18-6 overall.
CHASING HISTORY
Senior Elise van Heuvelen Treadwell has 82 career singles wins, sixth-most all-time in program history. She needs two wins to tie Hillary Mintz for fifth all-time (84). Her .652 career winning percentage in singles is fifth all-time among Hawkeyes with 100 career matches. Van Heuvelen’s 75 career doubles wins rank seventh all-time, and her combined 157 wins rank sixth all-time (seven behind Liz Canzoneri).
A PERFECT 10
Freshman Alexa Noel is 10-0 playing at the No. 1 singles position. She has won eight of 10 matches in straight sets. She is also 8-3 overall in doubles, teg with Samantha Mannix at the No. 1 spot.
Noel is ranked No. 97 in singles and No. 7 among the top 10 newcomers in the International Tennis Association preseason singles and newcomers’ rankings. She is the third freshman in program history to appear in the ITA national rankings. Sonja Molnar reached as high as No. 75 in 2009 and Sam Mannix was ranked No. 125 in 2019. The complete 2021 ITA preseason rankings are available at wearecollegetennis.com.
NOEL EARNS BIG TEN ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Alexa Noel earned her first Big Ten weekly honor on the week of Feb. 15 when she was named Big Ten Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week. Noel went 4-0 for the Hawkeyes against Illinois and Northwestern. playing at the No. 1 singles and doubles position. A freshman from Summit, New Jersey, Noel went undefeated at the top spot against No. 8 Northwestern. She beat No. 57 Julie Bryne, winning a three-set tiebreak (6-4,6-7,10-5) at No. 1 singles, and teamed with Samantha Mannix to earn a 6-2 win at No. 1 doubles.
INDIANA BREAKDOWN
• Indiana is 1-3 overall and 1-3 in the conference.
• IndianA leads the all-time series, 35-13.
• Last meeting, Iowa won 4-3 in 2019.
• This is the 49th meeting between Indiana and Iowa
PURDUE BREAKDOWN
• Purdue is 1-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
• Iowa leads the all-time series, 26-25.
• Last meeting, Iowa won 4-1 in 2019.
• This is the 52nd meeting between Iowa and Purdue.
FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
Fans can follow the Iowa women’s tennis team on Facebook and via twitter @Iowa_Tennis. Results
from this weekend will be available on the Iowa women’s tennis schedule page at hawkeyesports.com.
