The Illinois Wesleyan women’s tennis team capped off their best year since 1991 with their twelfth win of the 2026 season. The Titans hosted Greenville University at the Evergreen Racquet Club in Bloomington on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
In doubles play, the Titans won two of the three matches to open the day. First-years Adia Douglas and Elana Religioso swiftly dispatched Greenville’s Jaidyn Goode and Lauren Brannon at No. 3 doubles, winning 6-1. Juniors Amber Ehrlich and Olivia Bell secured the doubles point with a 7-5 victory against Irlanda Oliver and Emily Kowalke, giving the Titans the 1-0 match lead before singles play.
Photo: Cody Buskohl
To open up singles play, Douglas won with 6-1, 6-1 scores over Goode at five singles to boost the Titans’ lead to 2-0. Greenville then evened the day 2-2 with a pair of wins at two and six singles. Sophomore Katie Van Heuklon recaptured the lead for the Titans with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Kolwalke at No. 3 singles. Greenville evened the match at 3-3, leaving the deciding game to Ehrlich and Oliver at No. 1 singles. Despite trailing 4-2 in the third set, Ehrlich came back for a 7-5, 1-6, 10-7 win to finish the Titans’ day. The win upped the Titans’ record to 12-6, their best record since going 12-3 in 1991.
The day also marked the end of senior Marianna Arias’ career, who competed in an exhibition doubles match with junior Carly Edwards. Arias played all four years for the Titans, earning the team’s “Most Improved Player” her rookie season. The Bloomington local played in both singles and doubles matches throughout her four seasons, ranging from No. 3-6 singles and No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. Arias was the sole senior on the roster.
The Titans 2025-2026 campaign marked the third season under head coach Jason Van Heuklon, who was hired prior to the 2022-2023 season as the program’s third head coach in six years, succeeding coach Megan Rozboril. A former coach for IWU’s men’s tennis team, Heuklon revived the women’s program, leading the Titans to a combined 27 wins over the last three seasons.
The Titans’ remaining 10 players will return next year, looking to build off their first season with double-digit wins in over 15 years. While the Titans may still lag behind tough CCIW opponents like North Central and Wheaton for now, the program couldn’t be moving in a better direction.
