Sept. 16, 2009

Olympia Fields Tournament Central

URBANA, Ill. - The Illinois men's tennis team will host the third annual Olympia Fields Country Club (OFCC) Fighting Illini Invitational on the clay courts of the Olympia Fields Country Club, Sept. 18-20. The Illini will welcome four teams this year - Florida State, Miami (FL), Northwestern and Notre Dame.

"The Olympia Fields event is always a tremendous kickoff to our season," Illinois head coach Brad Dancer said. "The staff and members of Olympia Fields go out of their way to ensure that all the student-athletes experience a first-class tournament right down to every detail. For the team, Olympia Fields is becoming a `home away from home' and a place where they now have many new friends and fans of our program. They are looking forward to seeing familiar faces and getting the competition season underway."

The OFCC Fighting Illini Invitational provides the only collegiate Division I clay court event of the season, giving both players and fans a unique experience. Admission to the three-day event is free.

"Being the only clay court tournament in Division I tennis," Dancer said, "it allows the student-athletes to gain competitive experience in a different forum. All the nuances of clay-court tennis become tremendous teaching tools for the coaches."

In the preseason rankings announced earlier this month, Illini sophomore Dennis Nevolo entered at No. 24, while senior Marek Czerwinski followed at No. 97. Illinois finished the highest out of the group in the final 2009 ITA National Rankings, coming in at No. 12 at the end of last season.

"The field is incredibly strong, as it has been the past two years," Dancer said. "With returning powers Miami, Notre Dame and Florida State, it is also great to add Northwestern this year, considering the great job head coach Arvid Swan is doing with his squad."

Not far behind the Illini last season was Florida State, which advanced to the Sweet 16 along with Illinois and Miami, finishing at No. 13 in the final rankings. The Seminoles return two-time All-American senior Jean-Yves Aubone, who is ranked No. 8 in preseason singles and No. 7 in doubles with classmate Vahid Mirzadeh. Junior Clint Bowles came in at No. 33 and and Mirzadeh rounded out the group at No. 115.

Miami finished at No. 19 and returns junior Carl Sundberg, who is ranked No. 79 in preseason singles, while Notre Dame sophomore Casey Watt is at No. 90 and teammate junior Stephen Havens is at No. 98. Last season, Northwestern made its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2005 and returns five starters from that squad.

For complete results and recaps of the OFCC Fighting Illini Invitational, visit fightingillini.com.