University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, April 25
Ann Arbor, MI
11:00 AM
University of Minnesota
vs
Purdue
Players Mentioned
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Minnesota Set to Begin Big Ten Tournament Play on Thursday
4/24/2024 12:15:00 PM | Tennis
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota tennis program will begin postseason play on Thursday, Apr. 25, taking on Purdue in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Gophers earned the 9th seed in the tournament at the conclusion of the regular season and are set to face the 8th-seeded Boilermakers for the second time this season. The first serve will be at 9 a.m. CT at the Varsity Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Michigan, and will be broadcast live on B1G+.
Minnesota's previous Big Ten Tournament appearance was in 2022. The then 8th-seeded Gophers defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions 4-3 in the second round. In the quarterfinals, Minnesota fell to top-seeded Ohio State in a 4-0 match, ending the Gophers' impressive 18-win 2022 season, the most since 2015.
The Season So Far
The 2024 regular season saw the Maroon and Gold bounce back from the program's 5-17 overall and 0-11 conference records in 2023. Last season, injuries forced the team to forfeit their final five matches and miss an opportunity to compete in the postseason. In 2024, under first-year head coach Lois Arterberry, the Gophers notched an 11-12 overall record and a 4-7 conference record and are set to compete for a quarterfinals spot in the Big Ten Tournament.
The program also claimed two wins over ITA nationally-ranked teams this season, defeating then-No. 48 Purdue on Mar. 10 and then-No. 62 Iowa on Mar. 31. Minnesota held a national ranking of No. 72 throughout the week of Mar. 12.
Gopher Team Leaders
Gopher sophomore Aiva Schmitz and freshman Emma Belluomini lead the team with 15 singles wins each this season. Schmitz earned Big Ten Player of the Week on Mar. 13 for her performances against Indiana and Purdue, clinching the winning point in each match.
Sophomore Sofia Pizzoni leads the team with 8 doubles wins with various partners. She and partner Aiva Schmitz have notched a team-high of 5 wins as a doubles pair.
The Competition
Purdue holds a 5-6 conference and 12-9 overall record on the season. The Boilermakers moved up to No. 66 in the ITA national team rankings this week after defeating Indiana 4-1.
The Gophers took on the Boilermakers on Mar. 10 this season in West Lafayette, Ind., leaving with a 4-1 win. Minnesota clinched the doubles point, then went on a 3-1 singles run to earn their second-straight conference victory that weekend.
How to Follow
Each Big Ten Tournament match will be broadcast live on B1G+. Live stats will also be available. The full tournament schedule and streaming information can be found on the Big Ten women's tennis website.
Admission to the Varsity Tennis Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. is free for all attendees.
Fans can also follow each match on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
Minnesota's previous Big Ten Tournament appearance was in 2022. The then 8th-seeded Gophers defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions 4-3 in the second round. In the quarterfinals, Minnesota fell to top-seeded Ohio State in a 4-0 match, ending the Gophers' impressive 18-win 2022 season, the most since 2015.
The Season So Far
The 2024 regular season saw the Maroon and Gold bounce back from the program's 5-17 overall and 0-11 conference records in 2023. Last season, injuries forced the team to forfeit their final five matches and miss an opportunity to compete in the postseason. In 2024, under first-year head coach Lois Arterberry, the Gophers notched an 11-12 overall record and a 4-7 conference record and are set to compete for a quarterfinals spot in the Big Ten Tournament.
The program also claimed two wins over ITA nationally-ranked teams this season, defeating then-No. 48 Purdue on Mar. 10 and then-No. 62 Iowa on Mar. 31. Minnesota held a national ranking of No. 72 throughout the week of Mar. 12.
Gopher Team Leaders
Gopher sophomore Aiva Schmitz and freshman Emma Belluomini lead the team with 15 singles wins each this season. Schmitz earned Big Ten Player of the Week on Mar. 13 for her performances against Indiana and Purdue, clinching the winning point in each match.
Sophomore Sofia Pizzoni leads the team with 8 doubles wins with various partners. She and partner Aiva Schmitz have notched a team-high of 5 wins as a doubles pair.
The Competition
Purdue holds a 5-6 conference and 12-9 overall record on the season. The Boilermakers moved up to No. 66 in the ITA national team rankings this week after defeating Indiana 4-1.
The Gophers took on the Boilermakers on Mar. 10 this season in West Lafayette, Ind., leaving with a 4-1 win. Minnesota clinched the doubles point, then went on a 3-1 singles run to earn their second-straight conference victory that weekend.
How to Follow
Each Big Ten Tournament match will be broadcast live on B1G+. Live stats will also be available. The full tournament schedule and streaming information can be found on the Big Ten women's tennis website.
Admission to the Varsity Tennis Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. is free for all attendees.
Fans can also follow each match on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
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