Illinois State men’s tennis to join Summit League

Posted on April 12, 2017
Illinois State tennis
Illinois State men’s tennis will be eligible for postseason play when it competes in the Summit League next fall. (Photo courtesy GoRedbirds.com)

By ISU Sports Information

ELMHURST – The Illinois State men’s tennis team will compete in the Summit League as an affiliate member beginning with the 2017-18 season, the Summit League office announced Tuesday.

Along with the Redbirds, current Missouri Valley Conference foe Drake will also join the Summit League. Of the five 2016-17 MVC men’s tennis members, Southern Illinois and Stony Brook each elected to discontinue their men’s tennis programs at the end of this season. Meanwhile, Wichita State is joining the American Athletic Conference in all sports.

“First, I’d like to express our gratitude to the MVC for their time and effort on this transition, as we officially join the Summit League,” Illinois State head coach Mark Klysner said. “I would like to thank President Larry Dietz, (Director of Athletics) Larry Lyons and (Deputy Director of Athletics) Leanna Bordner, as well as the rest of our athletics department for their continued dedication and support for our men’s tennis program. Lastly, I would like to thank the Summit League for thinking of Illinois State while considering teams to join their conference. There is a great group of coaches in the Summit League who I have gotten to know over the years, and I look forward to working with them.”

Drake and Illinois State will be immediately eligible for regular season and postseason championships along with all individual awards in their initial 2018 Summit League campaign. Summit League men’s tennis membership will consist of seven teams: Denver, Drake, Illinois State, IUPUI, Omaha, Oral Roberts and South Dakota State.

“We are very pleased to add two quality tennis programs to the Summit League,” Summit League commissioner Tom Douple said. “Drake and Illinois State have a successful history of league championships. Adding these programs raises the caliber of competition and will certainly strengthen Summit League men’s tennis for years to come.”

The Illinois State men’s program owns a pair of regular-season MVC titles (2006 and 2010), and the Redbirds have earned three MVC Coach of the Year and one MVC Player of the Year honors in program history.

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