Nike Tennis Camp at University of Illinois

Under Clark, Illinois has emerged as one of the premier programs in the Big Ten, having finished fourth or better in the conference in all seven of the program's traditional (non-COVID impacted) seasons. With Clark at the helm, the Illinois women’s tennis program owns a 100% graduation rate and a perfect APR score, and it has had zero players transfer out during their four-year career.

Across his time at Illinois, Clark has led the Illini to a 132-87 dual record, including a 66-31 mark in Big Ten play. Including his time as the head coach at UNC-Wilmington (31-11), Clark owns a 163-98 record overall. Clark has led the Fighting Illini to four NCAA Team Tournament appearances and was at the helm for UNCW for an appearance in 2014 as well. Since 2019, Illinois has produced three All-Americans in Asuka Kawai (2019, singles), Megan Heuser (2023, doubles), and Kate Duong (2023, doubles).

In 2024, Clark and first-year associate head coach Jacob Eddins led the Illini to a 17-10 overall record, an 8-3 mark in Big Ten matches, and an at-large NCAA Team Tournament bid. Illinois earned an upset of No. 23 UCF during ITA Kickoff Weekend and moved up to No. 24 in the first computerized rankings of the season – the best rank by the Illini since the 2019 campaign.

Illinois opened the 2024 postseason with a Big Ten Women's Tennis Tournament Second Round win over 12^th-seeded Rutgers. The victory allowed Illinois to make its 16th straight quarterfinal appearance – a streak that began in 2008. UI's 17 total wins marked the third-most under Clark and tied for the 10th-most in a season in program history. Three of those top-10 marks have come under Clark.

The 2023-24 campaign saw a first for Clark as he brought in his first transfer during his time at Illinois. McKenna Schaefbauer – a Normal, Illinois, native who grew up playing at Atkins Tennis Center – opted to return to her home state following her freshman season at South Carolina. Schaefbauer thrived in her first season as an Illini, posting 17 singles wins and 18 doubles victories.

After the departure of his four-year associate head coach in January, Evan Clark coached the 2023 dual season with the help of a former player in a volunteer assistant coaching role. The hurdle didn't slow Clark down as the Fighting Illini turned in a record of 18-10 (despite an injury to the team's No. 1 doubles and No. 1 singles player). UI went 8-3 in the Big Ten, including a top-25 upset at Wisconsin on April 14 - Illinois' first win over a top-25 squad since April 21, 2019.

The Illini's 18 wins tied the sixth-most in a single season in program history. UI earned the 14th appearance to the NCAA Team Tournament in program history. The last time Illinois made the NCAA Tournament as a team was the 2019 campaign. The 2023 appearance marked the third with Clark at the helm.

Additionally, Illinois saw its top doubles team of Megan Heuser and Kate Duong selected to the NCAA Doubles Championship with an at-large bid and go on to become just the second Illini duo in program history to earn All-American status. Heuser and Duong were the fifth doubles duo in Illinois program history to earn a bid into the NCAA Doubles Championships. The tandem became the highest-ranked doubles duo in Illini history at No. 7 in the ITA rankings. Additionally, Clark saw the duo become just the third Illini tandem to win an ITA regional championship crown, not to mention taking down the No. 1 ranked pair at the ITA National Fall Championships.

Individually, Ashley Yeah was tabbed the ITA Midwest Region Senior Player of the Year.

In fall 2022, Clark received his second contract extension from the University of Illinois - a three-year contract extension through 2025-26.

The 2021-22 campaign was one of growth and promise as the Illini wrapped the regular season with a 15-8 overall record and finished tied for third with an 8-3 mark in the Big Ten Conference, marking the fifth time in six seasons (excluding 2020 due to COVID-19) that the Illini have finished fourth or better in the conference standings. Illinois finished its regular-season home slate with an impressive 11-1 record, with the Illini's 11 wins ranking in a tie for the second-most wins in a home schedule in program history. The home schedule was highlighted by a 4-3 win over rival Northwestern, marking the second straight come-from-behind victory over the Wildcats on Senior Day.

In the 2020-21 season, the Illini posted a 9-9 overall record in the B1G-only season. The Illini ended the regular season with a 4-3 win over seventh-ranked Northwestern at Atkins Tennis Center. Illinois advanced to the second round of the B1G tournament following a first-round 4-3 victory over Purdue before falling in the second round to Michigan.

During the 2019-20 season, the Illini compiled a 5-9 overall record, including a 1-0 record in Big Ten play before the season was shortened due to COVID-19. Clark earned his 100th career win as the Orange and Blue defeated Eastern Illinois, 4-0.

In the 2018-19 season, the team posted a 16-12 overall record, earning three wins over top-20 programs and seven wins over top-50 opponents. The Illini advanced to the Big Ten Tournament Finals for the first time since 2001 and made the NCAA Tournament for a consecutive year.

Sophomore Asuka Kawai became the fourth Illini in program history, and first under Clark, to earn All-America honors, while Clark was named ITA Midwest Regional Coach of the Year for the second straight year. Kawai was the first individual since 2005 to qualify for the NCAA Singles Tournament, having reached the Quarterfinals and marking the best finish in program history.

The 2017-18 season was one for the record books for the Illini, as the team tied for the most wins in a single season in program history (22) and earned its first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2012.

Other accolades included the highest ITA Team Ranking (No. 5) in program history, as well as 12 weeks in the top 25; 11 of those 12 were in the top 15 and four weeks came in the top 10. The Illini also got off to the best start in school history, accumulating a record of 19-3, earned five wins over top-25 opponents, earned a title at the Blue Gray Invitational and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32.

In addition to team success, junior Jaclyn Switkes earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors, while Clark was named ITA Midwest Regional Coach of the Year, as well as Big Ten Coach of the Year, just the second such award for an Illinois coach in program history and first since 1987.

Following the 2017-18 campaign, Clark and Illinois agreed to a five-year contract extension.

Illinois posted a 14-13 mark during the 2016-17 season, including a 7-4 record in Big Ten play. Louise Kwong garnered All-Big Ten honors and was one of five Fighting Illini to be named Academic All-Big Ten.

During the 2015-16 campaign, Clark oversaw the Fighting Illini turn in their most productive season since 2012. The team posted a 15-9 overall record that included an 8-3 mark in Big Ten action for fourth place and advancement to the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals. Illinois turned in a collective 41-8 record on the doubles courts across the dual season under the interim guidance of Clark.

Prior to Illinois, Clark served as the head coach of the UNC Wilmington women's team for two seasons and helped the Seahawks to the program's first Colonial Athletic Association conference championship. Clark was named the CAA's Coach of the Year and had players named both the CAA Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Under the direction of Clark, UNCW compiled a record of 31-11.

The University of Missouri - Kansas City graduate has also spent time with the Maryland men's team, Penn State women's team and UMKC women's team after earning his degree in 2006.

With a perfect 31-0 record, Clark took home the 2002 Missouri High School 4A State Singles Championship and was voted the Kansas City Star Tennis Male Athlete of the Year. He went on to be named First-Team All-Mid-Continent Conference following his collegiate debut season. Clark served as captain of the UMKC's men's tennis team from 2002-04. During the 2004-05 season, Clark wrapped up his collegiate career as a member of the Arkansas men's tennis program before returning to UMKC to earn his degree in psychology.

Accompanying Clark off the courts is his wife, Katelynn, as well as their son, Tripp, and daughters, Harper, Quinn and Leighton.

In two seasons with Eddins on staff, Illinois has earned back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids including a Second Round appearance in 2025. The Fighting Illini have posted a record of 32-23 overall and 16-8 in Big Ten play with Eddins on the staff. As a host of the 2025 and 2026 ITA National Team Indoor Championships, Illinois earned an automatic spot into the prestigious event field. Across the two seasons under Eddins, four different Illini doubles teams (two top-10 tandems) and three individuals have earned ITA national rankings.

In 2024-25, Illinois posted a 15-13 overall record including an 8-5 reading in Big Ten matches, and earned an at-large NCAA Team Tournament bid. Eddins and Clark combined to bring in the No. 16-ranked recruiting class, which included a blue-chip recruit. The staff saw two Illini earn Second Team All-Big Ten recognition (McKenna Schaefbauer, Megan Heuser) in addition to having a player named to the Big Ten’s inaugural All-Freshman Team (Ariel Madatali). Illinois closed out the season at No. 32 in the final ITA rankings, the squad’s best mark of the campaign.

In his first season at Illinois (2023-24), Eddins and Clark led the Illini to a 17-10 overall record, 8-3 mark in Big Ten matches, and an at-large NCAA Team Tournament bid. Illinois earned an upset of No. 23 UCF during ITA Kickoff Weekend and moved up to No. 24 in the first computerized rankings of the season – the best rank by the Illini since the 2019 campaign. Junior Megan Heuser was named to the Big Ten All-Conference team.

Illinois’ 2024 NCAA Team Tournament appearance marked the first of Eddins' career.

Eddins served as an assistant coach at WVU for three seasons before being promoted to the associate head coach role for his final season in Morgantown. In 2023, Eddins and the Mountaineers had a historic season, which included the program's highest ITA national ranking at No. 51, an 11-4 start during the spring slate, and the program's first-ever victory over Kansas State, which also marked the squad's first Big 12 victory since 2018.

Eddins helped WVU tennis improve in several aspects of the program. In 2019-20, he was a part of a West Virginia team that produced the best start to a women's tennis season since 1986. Eddins also aided in recruiting the highest-rated signing class in program history in 2020, which came in at No. 29 nationally in Tennis Recruiting Network's (TRN) annual list.

A native of Huntington, West Virginia, Eddins went to Morgantown after serving as the assistant coach at Auburn for one year (2018-19). During his season with the Tigers, Eddins helped guide the team to a 14-win season, in which they held a team-high national ranking of 25 and upset then-No. 13 Georgia Tech during the 2019 ITA Kickoff Weekend. Eddins also aided in Auburn securing the 15th-best recruiting class in the nation during the fall of 2018.

Prior to the 2018-19 season, he served as the associate head coach at Western Carolina, where he helped oversee one of the most successful stretches in WCU history that included a school-record win total in 2016.

Eddins' coaching career also includes stops at Pittsburgh, Cornell, and Marshall.

Before his time at Marshall, he was a two-time West Virginia high school state singles champion, as well as the doubles state champion his senior year. Eddins graduated from Marshall University in 2008 with a degree in business management and a minor in marketing.

He and his wife, Michaela Kissell-Eddins, have four children, Kylie, Gavin, Jayce, and Carter.

In his first season, during the 2022-23 campaign, Kopinski helped the Illini to two upset wins over ranked opponents -- No. 13 Georgia and No. 9 Wake Forest. He also helped the Illini to a season-high No. 16 in the ITA National Rankings.

In his second season on staff in 2024, Kopinski helped lead Illinois to four ranked wins: No. 8 Duke, No. 14 Baylor, and North Carolina twice, once when the Tar Heels were ranked No. 16 and again when they were ranked No. 17.

Most recently, Kopinski guided the 2025 Fighting Illini squad to a 15-12 overall record and a 7-6 mark in Big Ten play. Junior Kenta Miyoshi earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors and climbed to a career-high No. 10 ITA singles ranking under Kopinski's guidance, while Illinois registered a ranked win over No. 12 Michigan.

Kopinski spent the 2021-22 season at Charlotte, where he served as the men's tennis team's assistant coach. The 49ers went 17-7 in Kopinski's lone season in Charlotte, and he helped the team record a 17-7 record. Kopinski also coached Conference USA Newcomer of the Year and C-USA First Team selection Thomas Brown and Outstanding Singles Player of the Championship Stefanos Savva.

Before his time at Charlotte, Kopinski had numerous coaching stints at the collegiate and professional level, including a volunteer coach position at Illinois in 2015-16, and two years traveling on the ATP Tour coaching Aussie pro Aleksandar Vukic.

During his time playing for the Fighting Illini, Kopinski led the team with 22 doubles wins, tied for second with 25 singles wins, and helped the team to a Big Ten championship in his freshman campaign.

In his sophomore year, Kopinski had the second-most wins and a 22-18 overall record. He was named Big Ten Athlete of the Week and earned Academic All-Big Ten and ITA Scholar Athlete honors.

The following season, Kopinski went 8-1 in singles play, finished the year ranked sixth nationally in doubles with his partner Ross Guignon, and posted the second-most singles wins on the team with a 33-12 record. He also was awarded All-American, First-Team All-Big Ten, and Big Ten Tennis Athlete of the Week, and he was named the Most Outstanding Player at the OFCC Invitational.

In his final year, Kopinski and his doubles partner ranked as high as No. 2 nationally and were the 2015 ITA National Indoor Championships doubles runner-ups. He also went undefeated in conference singles play and tied for most conference wins on the team while also collecting a 15-2 overall record. He finished his college career ranking 59th nationally in singles.

Kopinski also reached the Round of 16 in the singles draw at the ITA All-American Championships, was awarded Midwest ITA Senior Player of the Year, was a Midwest ITA/Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award winner, and was named First Team All-Big Ten.

Under Dancer, the Illini have won three Big Ten Tournament titles (2012, 2015, 2021) and two regular-season conference championships (2015, 2021), while Illinois has advanced to the NCAA tournament in 18 of Dancer's 20 seasons at the helm. Dancer was named the ITA Midwest Coach of Year in 2021 after the Illini earned a share of the Big Ten regular-season title and secured their third Big Ten Tournament championship during Dancer's tenure. Illinois reached the finals of the 2007 NCAA Championships, finishing as runner-up for the second-highest finish in program history. That year, defending NCAA doubles champions Kevin Anderson and Ryan Rowe finished runner-up, becoming the first Illinois doubles team in almost 40 years to make championship finals with the same partner in back-to-back seasons. In all, Dancer has led the Illini to two quarterfinals (2007, 2015) and 11 Sweet Sixteen appearances. In 2023, doubles duo Hunter Heck and Karlis Ozolins went to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Doubles Tournament, the farthest any Illini duo had gone since Anderson and Rowe made the championship finals in 2007.

At Illinois, many of Dancer’s student-athletes have found individual success on the collegiate circuit, as he has coached 28 All-Americans, 44 All-Big Ten honorees, five Big Ten Players of the Year, and two Big Ten Freshmen of the Year.

Dancer also garnered his own honors by being selected as the ITA Regional Coach of the Year during the 2014-15 season. In the record books, Dancer ranks as the program's all-time winningest coach, entering his 20th season with 374 victories, while also ranking second behind Illini legend Craig Tiley in Big Ten victories and career winning percentage.

While Dancer’s teams have had success on the court, they have also performed in the classroom, as 82 student-athletes have been named to the Academic All-Big Ten Team, 34 named ITA Scholar-Athletes, two tabbed Elite 90 winners, and one tabbed Academic All-American.

Most recently, Dancer led the 2025 Fighting Illini squad to a 15-12 overall record and a 7-6 mark in Big Ten play. Junior Kenta Miyoshi earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors and climbed to a career-high No. 10 ITA singles ranking under Dancer's guidance, while Illinois registered a ranked win over No. 12 Michigan.

Dancer has coached his squads to many victories over ranked and NCAA Championship teams. In his first year as head coach (2006), he led the Fighting Illini to victories over two of the nation’s top teams to open the season, defeating No. 1 Virginia and dismantling No. 8 Duke on the road in consecutive duals. With a 19-8 overall record, the 2011-12 squad captured its first Big Ten Tournament title in seven years with a dramatic comeback win over six-time defending champion Ohio State. The 2012-13 season provided two major thrills at home, knocking off both No. 5 Duke and No. 7 Kentucky in consecutive weeks. The 2015-16 squad victories over 2016 NCAA champion Virginia, Duke, and South Florida. In 2017-18, the Illini had wins over seven ranked teams, including No. 9 TCU, No. 10 Florida, and No. 14 Michigan. In 2023, the Illini conquered two ranked teams -- No. 13 Georgia and No. 9 Wake Forest. During the 2024 season, the Illini defeated No. 8 Duke, No. 14 Baylor, and top-25 North Carolina twice, once when the Tar Heels were ranked No. 16 and again when they were ranked No. 17.

The Illini have had winning records in all but one normal (non-COVID impacted) seasons with Dancer at the helm. With a 22-9 overall record, the 2006-07 team had a memorable season, including Dancer’s 100th career victory. The 2007-08 season was highlighted by the play of seniors Ryan Rowe and Ruben Gonzales, who helped lead the squad to an 8-2 finish in conference play. The 2009-10 squad secured their 13th straight 20-win season with a 20-11 overall mark. 2013-14 was a great season for the Orange and Blue, as they finished second in the conference (10-2) and went 24-9 overall, the most wins since the 2006 season. The Illini also went undefeated at home (13-0) for the first time since 2004. The 2014-15 Illinois squad went 15-1 at home and produced a 27-5 record, the most wins since the 2003 season. Juniors Aron Hiltzik and Aleks Vukic led the 2016-17 team to an 18-12 overall record and an 8-3 mark in Big Ten play. In 2017-18, the squad had an overall record of 24-8, along with a 10-1 tally in conference play and 11-1 at home. In 2020-21, the Illini went 23-3 overall, 15-1 against conference competition, 7-2 at home, and 7-0 away.

Whether as a team or individually, the Orange and Blue have consistently ranked in the top 20 nationally since Dancer took over for Craig Tiley. During Dancer’s first season as head coach, he propelled Illinois to No. 2 in the nation, a spot Illinois held for a large portion of the season. Individually, the Illini garnered its first singles No. 1-ranked preseason player in Ryler DeHeart, who also claimed the top spot during the regular season. In 2008-09, Illinois finished No. 12 in the final Campbell’s/ITA rankings after posting an overall record of 23-9. The 2013-14 squad ranked as high as sixth in the nation, while also qualifying to the National Indoor Championships. As one of the most successful teams in program history, the 2014-15 squad rose as high as No. 2 in the ITA national rankings, the highest they have achieved since 2006. The 2017-18 team achieved a No. 8 ranking in the final ITA national rankings, the highest since 2015.

Dancer started off his coaching career in 1996, when he held an ongoing role as an assistant to Billie Jean King for the U.S. Fed Cup Team. Dancer cites the experience with King as having a profound impact on him, as she led by her incredible example and helped him mold his coaching ideology.

Dancer received his first head coaching position with the Delaware Smash of World Team Tennis. From 1998 to 2004, he had the privilege to coach athletes such as Patrick McEnroe and Serena Williams. In 2003, he guided Smash to the World Team Tennis Championship en route to being named Coach of the Year. The Illini head coach has also traveled to more than 20 different countries, working with elite junior development programs and various touring professionals, such as Martina Navratilova and Mariaan de Swardt.

Dancer’s collegiate coaching career started at his alma mater, Michigan State, where he served as the assistant men’s tennis coach from 1993-98. In 1999, Dancer served in his first head coaching capacity for the women’s tennis team at the University of Arizona.

Before coming to Illinois, Dancer compiled a 38-35 overall record in three seasons as the head coach at Fresno State University. He led his teams to two NCAA tournament appearances, including in 2003, when his squad advanced to the second round, marking the deepest postseason run during his tenure.

As an associate head coach in 2004-05, Dancer helped lead the Orange and Blue to a 25-4 record and a trip to the Sweet 16 before taking over for Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Tiley, who is the only coach to lead the program to a national championship (2003).

Dancer has had several former Illini move on to successful professional careers, most notably Kevin Anderson. Anderson reached a career-high No. 10 world ranking in October 2015 while advancing to the third round or better at 11 straight Grand Slams in 2016. The former All-American reached his first-career Grand Slam Final at the 2017 US Open, becoming the first Illini to reach a singles final in a Grand Slam event and the first player with college ties to reach a Grand Slam singles final since Northwestern’s Todd Martin at the 1999 US Open.

Dancer also coached Aleks Vukic and Aleks Kovacevic, who are both currently playing on the ATP Tour and have ranked among the top-100 men's singles players in the world.

Dancer earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Michigan State in 1993 and also competed on the men’s tennis team, earning All-Big Ten honors and reaching the NCAA Doubles Championships his senior year.

Dancer and wife Haylie reside in Mahomet with their four boys: Jackson, Hudson, Camden, and Griffin.