Has Illinois ever won an NCAA tennis championship?

Yes. The Illinois Fighting Illini men's tennis team won the 2003 NCAA Division I National Championship under head coach Craig Tiley. The 2002-03 and 2003-04 squads also captured back-to-back ITA National Team Indoor Championships and held a 64-match winning streak that remains the longest in NCAA Division I tennis history.

What is the biggest tennis facility in Springfield, Illinois?

The Velasco Tennis Center at Washington Park is Springfield's flagship public tennis facility, with twelve outdoor courts operated by the Springfield Park District. The center is named for longtime UIS coach Manny Velasco and was renovated for the 2025 GLVC Men's and Women's Tennis Championships hosted by University of Illinois Springfield.

What is the USTA Mid-South Illinois district?

The Mid-South Illinois Tennis Association (MSITA) is one of three USTA local districts in Illinois under the USTA Midwest Section. It serves the central and southern parts of the state, organizing adult leagues, junior tournaments, and competitive events for Champaign-Urbana, Springfield, Bloomington-Normal, Peoria, Decatur, and surrounding communities.

Did Eastern Illinois University discontinue tennis?

Yes. Eastern Illinois University announced on May 12, 2025 that it was ending both its men's and women's NCAA Division I tennis programs effective immediately, citing the financial impact of the House v. NCAA settlement. The men's program had competed in the Horizon League and the women's program in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Central Illinois · Champaign-Urbana & Springfield

Tennis Clubs in Central Illinois

Q: What is the major tennis facility in Champaign-Urbana?

The Atkins Tennis Center at the University of Illinois is the dominant facility in Champaign-Urbana, with six indoor courts and twenty outdoor courts including the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex. Atkins is open to the public with no membership fee, and has hosted both the 2013 and 2022 NCAA Division I Women's and Men's Tennis Championships.

Central Illinois is the heart of college tennis in the Midwest. Champaign-Urbana is home to the University of Illinois Fighting Illini, the 2003 NCAA Division I men's national champions, and to the Atkins Tennis Center — a 26-court complex that has twice hosted the NCAA D-I Tennis Championships and is the home of the long-running USTA Pro Circuit Champaign Challenger. Springfield, the state capital, anchors the southern half of the region with the Velasco Tennis Center at Washington Park and the UIS Prairie Stars NCAA D-II tennis program. Bloomington-Normal and Peoria add NCAA D-I and D-III college programs. The region is served by the Mid-South Illinois Tennis Association (MSITA), one of three USTA Midwest Section districts that serve the state.

Central Illinois Tennis Hubs

Tennis activity in Central Illinois clusters around several distinct hubs — each anchored by a college program, an indoor facility, and a network of public courts and park-district offerings.

Champaign-Urbana

Home of the Fighting Illini & Atkins Tennis Center

Springfield

State capital; UIS Prairie Stars & Velasco Tennis Center

Bloomington-Normal

Illinois State, Illinois Wesleyan & Evergreen Racquet Club

Peoria

Bradley University women's tennis & Peoria area clubs

Decatur

Millikin University CCIW & Decatur park district tennis

Charleston

Eastern Illinois University & junior development

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College Tennis in Central Illinois

Central Illinois has the highest concentration of college tennis programs in the state, headlined by the University of Illinois Fighting Illini, 2003 NCAA Division I men's national champions. Below the D-I level, the region also includes NCAA D-II at UIS, NCAA D-III programs at Illinois Wesleyan and Millikin, and NCAA D-I programs at Bradley and Illinois State.

School

Conf

Program Info

University of Illinois

Big Ten

Men's Women's

Champaign-Urbana Fighting Illini. Men: 2003 NCAA National Champions under Craig Tiley; nine consecutive Big Ten titles 1997–2005; 64-match win streak — the longest in NCAA D-I tennis history. Two ITA National Team Indoor titles (2003, 2004). Three NCAA Final Fours 2003–2007. Head coach Brad Dancer (21st year) won ITA Midwest Coach of the Year in 2025. Notable alums: Kevin Anderson (2017 US Open finalist), Rajeev Ram (Olympic doubles medalist). Women co-host the ITA National Women's Indoor Championships at Atkins for the second straight year in 2026.

UIS Prairie Stars

GLVC D-II

Men's Women's

University of Illinois Springfield. NCAA D-II Great Lakes Valley Conference. Hosted the 2025 GLVC Men's and Women's Tennis Championships at the newly renovated Velasco Tennis Center in Washington Park. Plays home matches at the Springfield Racquet and Fitness Center (indoor) and Velasco Tennis Center (outdoor). Head coach Ross Graham.

Bradley University

MVC

Women's

Peoria Braves. NCAA Division I Missouri Valley Conference women's tennis. Bradley discontinued men's tennis years ago and now sponsors only the women's program.

Illinois State Univ.

Summit / MVC

Men's Women's

Normal Redbirds. NCAA D-I men's tennis competes in the Summit League; women's tennis competes in the Missouri Valley Conference. Both programs play home matches at the Evergreen Racquet Club in Bloomington.

Illinois Wesleyan

CCIW D-III

Men's Women's

Bloomington Titans. NCAA D-III College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW). IWU is a CCIW founding member (1946). The 135,000-square-foot Shirk Center serves as the indoor athletics complex with tennis courts.

Millikin University

CCIW D-III

Men's Women's

Decatur Big Blue. NCAA D-III College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin program. Millikin's tennis squads play in the CCIW alongside Illinois Wesleyan and Elmhurst.

Recently discontinued: Eastern Illinois University in Charleston ended both its men's and women's NCAA Division I tennis programs effective May 12, 2025, citing the financial impact of the House v. NCAA settlement. The men's program had competed in the Horizon League and the women's program in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Spotlight

Atkins Tennis Center & Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex

1751 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL · (217) 244-8562

Opened in 1991 at a cost of $5.3 million, the Atkins Tennis Center is the home of the University of Illinois men's and women's tennis programs and one of the most active community tennis facilities in the Midwest. The complex features six indoor courts and twenty outdoor courts, including the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex with eight championship courts featuring built-in bleachers and lights. Atkins charges no membership fee — the public can reserve courts, take lessons, or join clinics whenever the varsity teams are not training. The center hosted both the 2013 and 2022 NCAA Division I Women's and Men's Tennis Championships and is the longtime home of the Champaign Challenger, one of the longest-running events on the USTA Pro Circuit.

Brad Dancer

Head Coach, Illini Men's Tennis

Entering his 21st year as head coach. Three Big Ten Tournament titles (2012, 2015, 2021) and two regular-season Big Ten titles (2015, 2021). Three-time ITA Midwest Region Coach of the Year (2015, 2021, 2025). Coached 28 All-Americans and five Big Ten Players of the Year, including 2025 winner Kenta Miyoshi.

21st Year HC 28 All-Americans

Evan Clark

Head Coach, Illini Women's Tennis

10th year as head coach. 133-87 dual record (.605) with 67-31 in Big Ten play. The Illini have made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and co-hosted the ITA Women's Indoor National Championships at Atkins in both 2025 and 2026. Five top-25 recruiting classes in his tenure.

15 NCAA Bids 2x ITA Indoor Host

Top Tennis Facilities in Central Illinois

Beyond Atkins, several major facilities anchor Central Illinois tennis — including the public Velasco Tennis Center in Springfield and the indoor Evergreen Racquet Club in Bloomington.

Atkins Tennis Center 1751 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana (217) 244-8562

26-court university facility (6 indoor + 20 outdoor including the Khan Outdoor Complex). Free public access with no membership fee. Hosts NCAA, ITA, and USTA Pro Circuit events including the long-running Champaign Challenger.

Velasco Tennis Center Washington Park, 1500 S. Grand Ave. W., Springfield (217) 789-2200

Springfield's flagship public tennis center, with twelve outdoor courts run by the Springfield Park District. Named for legendary UIS coach Manny Velasco. Hosted the 2025 GLVC Men's and Women's Tennis Championships after a major renovation.

Evergreen Racquet Club Bloomington Indoor & outdoor

Bloomington-Normal's primary indoor tennis club and the home venue for Illinois State University men's and women's tennis. Also hosted the CCIW Women's Tennis Tournament in 2024.

Springfield Racquet & Fitness Center Springfield UIS indoor home

Indoor tennis facility serving Springfield year-round; the indoor home of UIS Prairie Stars tennis matches.

Danville Tennis Center Danville Indoor

Indoor facility on the eastern edge of Central Illinois used as a regular venue for collegiate and league play, including OVC matches when weather forces indoor scheduling.

Top Junior Tennis Programs in Central Illinois

Central Illinois junior tennis is anchored by the Fighting Illini summer camps and Nike Tennis Camps at Atkins, with strong supporting programs through park districts in Springfield, Bloomington-Normal, and Peoria.

Fighting Illini Tennis Camps & Nike Tennis Camps Atkins Tennis Center, Urbana (217) 244-7278

Summer camps run by Illinois head coaches Brad Dancer (men) and Evan Clark (women) at Atkins. Junior campers receive approximately 35 hours of on-court training over five days, with adult weekend camps offering 20 hours of instruction.

Springfield Park District Tennis Velasco Tennis Center & Washington Park (217) 789-2200

Junior lessons, summer camps, USTA league play, and youth tournaments at the Velasco Tennis Center, Springfield's central public tennis hub.

Atkins Junior Clinics Atkins Tennis Center, Urbana Year-round programming

Year-round indoor and outdoor junior clinics for ages 4 and up, plus elite junior tournament hosting (ITF, UTR/PTT, USTA national-level events) at the home of Fighting Illini Tennis.

Bloomington-Normal Tennis Evergreen Racquet Club & Shirk Center Junior & college pathway

Year-round indoor junior development supported by Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan college programs, with USTA Mid-South Illinois events hosted regionally.

USTA Mid-South Illinois (MSITA)

The Mid-South Illinois Tennis Association (MSITA) is one of three USTA local districts in Illinois under the USTA Midwest Section. MSITA serves the central and southern parts of the state, with adult leagues, junior tournaments, and Junior Team Tennis (JTT) play across Champaign-Urbana, Springfield, Bloomington-Normal, Peoria, Decatur, and surrounding communities. Combined with the USTA Chicago District (north) and USTA Northern Illinois (NITA, Rockford and northern Illinois), MSITA completes the year-round competitive tennis ecosystem across the state.

Tennis Circuits® is a tennis event management platform designed specifically for club owners and organizers to run more events, fill more courts, and grow event revenue — all with zero fees and zero complexity. From tournaments and leagues to clinics, camps, and JTT, Tennis Circuits® gives Central Illinois clubs everything they need to maximize court utilization and keep players engaged year-round — including through the indoor season.