The Western Illinois University women’s tennis team is set to travel for a match against Northern Iowa on March 7 at the Black Hawk Tennis Club in Waterloo, Iowa. The Leathernecks, currently in their third season under coach Luke Ogren, hold a record of 3-9 this year after finishing last season with 12 wins and 9 losses.
In their recent home matches, Western Illinois defeated Milwaukee 5-2 but lost to Northern Illinois 6-1. During the Milwaukee match, the Leathernecks secured the doubles point with victories at No. 1 and No. 3 positions. Singles wins came from Mana Fawcett at No. 1, Chloe Routier at No. 3, Nour Gueblaoui at No. 4, and a forfeit win at No. 6. Against Northern Illinois, Western Illinois again won the doubles point but was unable to secure any singles wins despite several close three-set matches.
The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) preseason poll placed Western Illinois fourth for the upcoming season following a vote by league coaches. “The Leathernecks return a strong core led by 2025 All-OVC Singles selections Richardlyne Francois and Chloe Routier, while senior Nour Gueblaoui has been named one of the OVC’s 2026 Players to Watch,” according to the team’s statement. “The fourth-place prediction reflects the program’s continued rise within the conference, bolstered by experienced returners and a roster poised to make an impact in both singles and doubles play as Western Illinois prepares to compete for a league title at the 2026 conference championships.”
Mana Fawcett has received recognition this season as Singles Player of the Week twice and Doubles Player of the Week three times with partner Jessica Hess.
Western Illinois University Leathernecks Women’s Tennis competes in NCAA Division I athletics and is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (official website). The program operates from Macomb, Illinois (official website) and draws student-athletes from various international backgrounds (official website). Recent seasons have included notable victories over teams such as IUPUI Jaguars and Coe College (official website).
For more updates on Leatherneck Women’s Tennis, information can be found on GoLeathernecks.com or through their social media channels.
