Illinois Fighting Illini men's tennis explained

Illinois Fighting Illini Men's Tennis
University:University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
Conference:Big Ten Conference
Conference Short:Big Ten
City:Urbana
Stateabb:IL
State:Illinois
Coach:Brad Dancer
Tenure:14th
Stadium:Atkins Tennis Center
Capacity:3,800
Nickname:Fighting Illini
Ncaachampion:2003
Ncaarunnerup:2007
Ncaasemifinals:2003, 2004, 2007
Ncaaquarterfinals:1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2018
Ncaaroundof16:1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
Ncaaroundof32:1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Ncaatourneys:1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Conference Tournament:1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2015, 2021
Conference Season:1914, 1917, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1946, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2015

The Illinois Fighting Illini men's tennis team is an NCAA Division I college tennis team competing in the Big Ten Conference. The team plays its home matches at the Atkins Tennis Center in Urbana, Illinois.

History

The Illinois men's tennis program was founded in 1908, but has enjoyed most of its success in recent years.

The Illini have been one of the most successful men's tennis programs in the nation over the past twenty seasons, winning nine consecutive Big Ten Championships from 1997–2005; six of seven Big Ten Tournament Championships between 1999 and 2005; appearing in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen fourteen times, including eight years in a row (2002–09); advancing to three NCAA Final Fours between 2003 and 2007; and winning the 2003 NCAA National Championship.

Illinois men's tennis won two ITA National Team Indoor Championships in 2003 and 2004, and reached the championship match three other times in 1998, 1999, and 2002.[1]

Illinois men's tennis owns the record for longest consecutive win streak in NCAA history at 64 matches, spanning from their first match of the 2002-2003 season and ending with a 4-2 defeat by UCLA in the semifinals of the 2004 NCAA Men's Tennis Tournament.[2] [3]

Individual NCAA Champions

Singles
YearPlayer
2003Amer Delic
Doubles
YearTeam
2000Cary Franklin & Graydon Oliver
2003Rajeev Ram & Brian Wilson
2007Kevin Anderson & Ryan Rowe

All-Americans

YearPlayer
1997–98Gavin Sontag
1998–99Cary Franklin, Oliver Freelove
1999–2000Cary Franklin, Jeff Laski, Graydon Oliver
2000–01Graydon Oliver, Amer Delic
2001–02Amer Delic, Michael Calkins
2002–03Amer Delic, Rajeev Ram, Brian Wilson
2003–04Phil Stolt, Brian Wilson
2004–05Ryler DeHeart, Kevin Anderson
2005–06Kevin Anderson, Ryler DeHeart, Ryan Rowe
2006–07Kevin Anderson, Ryan Rowe
2010–11Dennis Nevolo
2011–12Dennis Nevolo
2013–14Jared Hiltzik, Farris Gosea, Tim Kopinski, Ross Guignon
2014–15Jared Hiltzik
2015–16Aleksandar Vukic, Jared Hiltzik
2016–17Aleksandar Vukic
2017–18Aleksandar Vukic
2018–19Aleksandar Kovacevic
2019–20Alex Brown
2020–21Aleksandar Kovacevic, Siphosothando Montsi
2022-2023Karlis Ozolins, Hunter Heck

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Past Champions and Finalists . ITA Tennis . January 28, 2016 . March 3, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303173839/http://www.itatennis.com/Assets/ita_assets/pdf/Men$!27s+National+Team+Indoors/PastChampions.pdf . dead .
  2. Web site: Sunday Conversation: Craig Tiley . News Gazette . September 12, 2015 . January 28, 2016 . Richey, Scott.
  3. Web site: Bruins Snap Illinois' 64-Match Winning Streak in NCAA Semifinals . UCLA Athletics . May 24, 2004 . January 28, 2016.