Chambana Sun

The Illinois women's tennis team is poised to begin their NCAA Tournament journey with a match against Arizona. The Illini, ranked 38th nationally, are set to play the 30th-ranked Wildcats on Saturday at the Virginia Tennis Facility, as part of the first round hosted by seventh-seeded Virginia.

Arizona holds a 19-10 overall record and has made consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since the 2011-12 seasons. The Wildcats concluded their season in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals, with a record of 8-5 in Big 12 play. Illinois, with a 14-12 overall record, also recorded an 8-5 mark in Big Ten play. The Illini's schedule has included matches against nine teams ranked in the top 25.

The first round at the Charlottesville site also features Virginia, ranked seventh, against FDU. Winners from both matches will meet for the second round on Saturday.

In their recent Big Ten Tournament performance, Illinois defeated Northwestern before losing to Ohio State in the quarterfinals. The Illini have made 16 appearances in the NCAA Championships, yet their tournament record stands at 4-15.

Evan Clark, the head coach of Illinois women's tennis, is in his 10th year and leads the program with a 146-99 overall record. He holds the title of the winningest coach in Illinois women's tennis history. Under his guidance, Illinois is participating in their third consecutive NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

The Illini roster includes players recognized for their performances. Megan Heuser and McKenna Schaefbauer received Second Team All-Big Ten honors, while Ariel Madatali was named to the All-Freshman Team. Madatali currently leads the team in singles victories.