Illinois Sweeps Men’s Tennis Weekly Awards

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its men’s tennis weekly awards for matches played February 26-March 1, 2026.

Player of the Week
Gabriel Debru, Illinois
Fr. – Grenoble, France

• Went undefeated (4-0 overall) as No. 32-ranked Illinois posted a 3-0 record last week, which included victories over No. 8-ranked Baylor and No. 6-ranked TCU
• All three of Debru’s straight-set wins occurred at No. 1 flights against ranked opponents
• Defeated 13th-ranked Devin Badenhorst of Baylor, 6-4, 6-0 on Friday, then downed 9th-ranked Duncan Chan of TCU, 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday
• Teamed with Tyler Bowers to post a 6-3 win over the 56th-ranked doubles team of Cooper Woestendick and Oliver Bonding of TCU
• Ranked 26th in singles by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), Debru earns his first Big Ten Player of the Week accolade
• His selection gives Illinois back-to-back Player of the Week awards

Freshman of the Week
Adam Jilly, Illinois
Fr. – Budapest, Hungary

• Won a pair of matches at No. 4 singles to help Illinois extend its winning streak against Top-25 teams to four matches
• Earned the first singles point against Baylor, dropping just three games in a 6-2, 6-1 triumph of 73rd-ranked Alexandru Chirita
• Clinched match point versus TCU, defeating Oliver Bonding, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
• Recorded his 14th singles win of the season, having won five of his last six matches
• Currently ranked 111th in singles by the ITA
• Earns his second Big Ten Freshman of the Week Award, having previously been honored on September 17, 2025

2025-26 Big Ten Men’s Tennis Player of the Week
Sept. 17       
P: Ozan Baris, Sr., MSU
F: Adam Jilly, Fr., ILL

Sept. 24       
P: Nikita Filin, So., OSU

Oct. 1          
P: Aidan Kim, Jr., OSU
F: Sam Olszakowski, ORE

Oct. 8          
P: Nicholas Steglehner, Sr., MICH
F: Arnav Bhandari, Fr., MICH

Oct. 15        
P: Sam Landau, Sr., IND
F: Jeri Lassila, Fr., NEB

Oct. 22        
P: Spencer Johnson, Jr., UCLA
F: Max Dahlin, R-Fr., MICH

Nov. 5         
P: David Saye, Sr., MSU

Nov. 12       
P: Jack Anthrop, Sr., OSU
F: Max Dahlin, R-Fr., MICH

Jan. 14         
P: Bjorn Swenson, Sr., MICH
F: Max Exsted, Fr., USC

Jan. 21         
P: Alex Okonkwo, Jr., OSU
F: Sasha Colleu, Fr., ILL

Jan. 28         
P: Alexander Bernard, Sr., OSU
F: Jeri Lassila, Fr., NEB
F: Max Exsted, Fr., USC

Feb. 4          
P: Nikita Filin, So., OSU
F: Cooper Han, Fr., NU

Feb. 11        
P: Max Dahlin, R-Fr., MICH
F: Max Dahlin, R-Fr., MICH

Feb. 18        
P: Jack Anthrop, Sr., OSU
F: Kyle Chesman, Fr., PSU

Feb. 25        
P: William Mroz, Sr., ILL
F: Max Exsted, Fr., USC

March 4       
P: Gabriel Debru, Fr., ILL
F: Adam Jilly, Fr., ILL