Notebook: Iowa Hosts Penn State and Ohio State

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s tennis team hosts Penn State on Friday at 3 p.m. (CT) at the Hawkeye Recreation and Tennis Complex, and No. 10 Ohio State on Sunday at 11 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.

ON IOWA
The Hawkeyes enter the week 5-1 in the Big Ten after sweeping Indiana and Purdue on Feb. 26 and 28. Iowa has won four straight in the Big Ten, matching their longest conference winning streak since 2019. The last time Iowa won five straight conference matches was 2006. Iowa last won six straight Big Ten matches in 1990 (7 in a row).

IOWA STARTS STRONG
Iowa is 5-1 in the Big Ten for the first time since 2006. The Hawkeyes finished the 2006 Big Ten season 9-1in the conference, 18-6 overall. Iowa is tied for second in Big Ten standings with Nebraska and Ohio State, and behind Michigan and Northwestern (6-0).

IOWA VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
No. 10 Ohio State is the fourth ranked opponent Iowa has faced this year (#3 Texas, L 4-0; #20 Arizona State, L 4-0; #8 Northwestern, L 6-1). Iowa’s last win over a ranked opponent was a 4-3 win over No. 50 Kansas State in 2020. Since 2003, Iowa has one top 20 win, a 4-3 victory over No. 20 Michigan in 2004.

VAN HEUVELEN MAKES HISTORY
Senior Elise van Heuvelen Treadwell tied for fifth all time (84) in singles wins after defeating Indiana’s Laura Masic and Purdue’s Csilla Fodor on Feb. 26 and 28. Her .656 career winning percentage in singles is fifth all-time among Hawkeyes with more than 100 career matches. Van Heuvelen’s 77 career doubles wins ties for fifth all-time, and her combined 161 wins rank sixth all-time (seven behind Liz Canzoneri).

UNDEFEATED RECORD
Freshman Alexa Noel is 12-0 playing at the No. 1 singles position. She has won 10 of 12 matches in straight sets. She is also 8-3 overall in doubles, teaming 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.

PENN STATE BREAKDOWN
• Penn State is 5-2 overall and 4-2 in the conference.
• Iowa leads the all-time series, 26-8.
• Streak: Penn State, 2
• Last meeting: Penn State won 4-3 in 2019.
• Last Iowa win: 6-1 in 2017.

#10 OHIO STATE BREAKDOWN
• Irina cantos is ranked No. 78 in singles on the ITA Preseason National Rankings.
• Irina cantos and Kolie Allen are ranked No. 42 in doubles on the ITA Preseason National Rankings.
• Ohio State is 8-3 overall and 5-1 in the conference.
• Ohio State leads the all-time series, 25-23.