May 13, 2009

SKILLMAN, N.J. - Illinois women's tennis assistant coach Dave Emery was named the Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. In just their third seasons, Emery and head coach Michelle Dasso have completed an impressive turnaround, leading the Illini to the second round of the 2009 NCAA tournament and third place in the Big Ten.

Emery is one of eight regional winners for the national Assistant Coach of the Year award. National award winners will be announced May 19 in College Station, Texas.

Emery came to the Illini three years ago after a stint as an assistant coach and standout player at James Madison University.

In 2009, Dasso and Emery continued the resurgence of Illinois women's tennis on the national front. The Illini finished third in the Big Ten standings with a regular season record of 8-2. For the second straight year, the Orange and Blue advance to the semifinals of the conference tournament.

The No. 34-ranked Illini were also chosen to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Championships at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex, for only the second time in the program's history. The Orange and Blue made the most of the opportunity, upsetting No. 19 Vanderbilt, 4-3, in the first round. In the round of 32, the Illini gave it their all against No. 16 Fresno State, but fell short by a 4-3 margin.

Illinois concluded the season with an overall record of 19-8, the most wins in 18 years.