Chambana Sun

Illinois will begin its NCAA Tournament journey in the first round on Friday at 3 p.m. CT. They play against No. 24 Oklahoma in Fort Worth, Texas. The winner will proceed to the second round to face either Abilene Christian or the host, No. 2 TCU, on Saturday at 4 p.m. CT.

Brad Dancer, who has coached the Illinois team for 20 years, leads them as they make their 18th NCAA Tournament appearance. Illinois holds a 15-11 record and is the No. 3 seed in the Fort Worth Regional, earning one of the at-large berths among eight Big Ten teams in the NCAA Tournament.

Illinois played in the Big Ten Tournament recently, reaching the quarterfinals but losing to No. 6 Ohio State, 4-3. The Illini secured a 4-1 victory over Oregon in the first round. Key performances came from Tyler Bowers, Mathis Debru, Zach Viiala, Jeremy Zhang, Max Mroz, and Kenta Miyoshi, with Illinois securing doubles and singles victories that paved their way to the quarterfinals.

Illinois has a notable NCAA Tournament history, with 53 wins from 79 matches in the past. They advanced to the second round 23 times, the third round 17 times, and have been to the quarterfinals seven times. The team reached the semifinals three times and the finals twice, winning the national championship once, during the 2003 season.

This year's opponent from Oklahoma ranks No. 24 nationally with a 16-10 overall record. Underhead coach Nick Crowell, Oklahoma finished with a 7-7 league record. Some notable players include Oscar Lacides, Luis Carlos Alvarez Valdes, and the double's partnership of Lacides and Bruno Nhavene.

TCU, the reigning champions and hosts, boast a strong 22-3 record and have remained among the top two teams nationwide throughout 2025. With a 32-match home winning streak up to this point, TCU boasts national ranking players like Jack Pinnington, Pedro Vives, and their successful doubles team Vives/Maxted, who won the NCAA Doubles Championship.

Abilene Christian, coming off a victory in the WAC Tournament, holds a 13-10 record and will face TCU on Friday night. The winner of this match will meet either Illinois or Oklahoma on Saturday.

Notably, Kenta Miyoshi of Illinois was named the 2025 Big Ten Player of the Year, joining a distinguished list of former honorees from the program, including Aleks Vukic and Kevin Anderson. Miyoshi boasts significant singles and doubles victories and holds a consistent spot in the ITA singles rankings.

Illini's head coach Brad Dancer recently earned a contract extension, securing his role through 2031. He has led the team to numerous achievements, including 11 Sweet 16 appearances and three Big Ten Tournament titles. He is the all-time winningest coach in the program's history.

Earlier in the season, Illinois claimed their first top-25 win of the season against No. 12 Michigan, displaying resilience in singles and doubles play with significant contributions from Miyoshi, Debru, Viiala, and Mroz.

Overall, Illinois enters the NCAA Tournament with ambition and notable accomplishments, set to face strong competitors as tournament play unfolds.