Northwestern University Athletics
Thursday, April 23
Columbus, Ohio
1 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Maryland
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Opens Big Ten Tournament Against Maryland
4/22/2026 3:48:00 PM | Women's Tennis
COLUMBUS, Ohio — No. 10-seed and No. 58-ranked Northwestern enters the postseason by taking on No. 7-seed and No. 43-ranked Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament First Round on Thursday, April 23, at 1 p.m. CT on B1G+ in Columbus, Ohio.
This past weekend, the Wildcats (14-10, 6-7 Big Ten) split their weekend results, falling to the Terrapins 4-3 before beating Rutgers 4-2. Against Maryland, Northwestern took the doubles point, and first-year Margot Phanthala and sophomore Mika Dagan Fruchtman earned singles victories. Taking on the Scarlet Knights, four Wildcats — sophomore Erica Jessel, sophomore Maia Lourerio, junior Neena Feldman, and Dagan Fruchtman — won their singles matches.
Earlier today, Phanthala was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Freshman Team. She tallied eight singles wins, all coming at the No. 1 position, and an 11-6 doubles record on the season. She is the first Northwestern first-year to garner All-Big Ten honors since Maria Shusharina did so in the 2021 dual season. In addition, she is just one of four first-years in the conference to make an All-Big Ten Team. She is also one of four first-years to earn a unanimous nod to the All-Freshman Team.
Phanthala, who has played all of her matches at the No. 1 singles position this season, is ranked as the ITA's No. 88 singles player in the country, the 15th-ranked player in the Big Ten. She is the first Northwestern player to crack the top 100 in the singles rankings since April 1, 2025, when Sydney Pratt was ranked No. 99. Additionally, she is the second-highest-ranked first-year in the conference. She is the first Wildcat first-year to be ranked in the top 100 since April 14, 2021, when Shusharina was ranked No. 91. Phanthala is the first Northwestern player to be ranked in the top 100 in singles and part of a top 50 doubles team since Justine Leong held the No. 88 singles spot and No. 39 doubles position on April 2, 2024.
Phanthala and Jessel are the No. 38-ranked doubles team in the nation, the seventh-highest ranked duo in the Big Ten. The pairing is 10-6 on the season, with five wins over ranked doubles teams. Their 10 wins are the most wins by a Northwestern duo since the 2024 dual season, when Maria Shusharina and Britany Lau had 18 wins together. Eight of Phanthala and Jessel's wins have come at No. 1 doubles slot, including defeating the Terrapins' ranked doubles team this past weekend.
Dagan Fruchtman leads the team in singles wins with a 14-8 record on the season. After her 2-12 record last season, the Ra'anana, Israel, native has surpassed her previous win total sevenfold. Her 14 wins are the most by a Wildcat underclassman since the 2021 dual season, when Briana Crowley tallied 16 wins.
Junior Autumn Rabjohns has the second most singles wins on the team with a 12-7 record, with four of her losses coming to nationally-ranked players. In addition, nine of Rabjohns' 12 wins have come with her dropping just five games or fewer.
First-year Marelie Raath leads the team in wins with 26, having an 11-6 singles record alongside a 15-8 doubles record. Her 15 doubles victories lead the team. Raath's 24 wins are the most by a Northwestern first-year in this decade, and her 11 singles wins are the most by a Wildcat first-year since Sydney Pratt had 12 in the 2022 season.
Raath and Feldman are 9-1 in doubles together, playing exclusively at the No. 2 slot. Their 90.0 win percentage marks the best win percentage by a Northwestern doubles team since the 2024 dual season, when Lau and Shusharina had a 94.7 win percentage.
Jessel has an 8-4 record in singles this season, leading the team in win percentage. Last season, she totaled six singles wins. In doubles this season, she is 12-6 after going 11-2 last season.
Northwestern has faced the Terrapins (16-6, 8-5 Big Ten) in the Big Ten Tournament just one time previously, coming in 2018 — a 4-0 Wildcats win. After falling to Maryland last Friday, Northwestern will look to advance to 10-1 in the all-time series. The Wildcats are aiming for their first win in the Big Ten Tournament since the 2024 campaign after falling to Illinois last season. The Terrapins are led by Oliwia Orlinska, the No. 111-ranked player in the country, who Phanthala knocked off 6-3, 6-3 last Friday. Diya Challa and Emma Ghirardato, the Terrapins' No. 1 doubles team, are the No. 61-ranked pairing nationally, but fell to Phanthala and Jessel 6-3. The Terrapins' eight Big Ten wins are a program record for most Big Ten wins in a season. Northwestern will seek ts highest ranked victory of the season.
The winner of the tilt between the Wildcats and Maryland will advance to face the No. 2-seed and No. 12-ranked USC on Friday, April 24. First serve will be at 1 p.m. CT on B1G+.
This past weekend, the Wildcats (14-10, 6-7 Big Ten) split their weekend results, falling to the Terrapins 4-3 before beating Rutgers 4-2. Against Maryland, Northwestern took the doubles point, and first-year Margot Phanthala and sophomore Mika Dagan Fruchtman earned singles victories. Taking on the Scarlet Knights, four Wildcats — sophomore Erica Jessel, sophomore Maia Lourerio, junior Neena Feldman, and Dagan Fruchtman — won their singles matches.
Earlier today, Phanthala was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Freshman Team. She tallied eight singles wins, all coming at the No. 1 position, and an 11-6 doubles record on the season. She is the first Northwestern first-year to garner All-Big Ten honors since Maria Shusharina did so in the 2021 dual season. In addition, she is just one of four first-years in the conference to make an All-Big Ten Team. She is also one of four first-years to earn a unanimous nod to the All-Freshman Team.
Phanthala, who has played all of her matches at the No. 1 singles position this season, is ranked as the ITA's No. 88 singles player in the country, the 15th-ranked player in the Big Ten. She is the first Northwestern player to crack the top 100 in the singles rankings since April 1, 2025, when Sydney Pratt was ranked No. 99. Additionally, she is the second-highest-ranked first-year in the conference. She is the first Wildcat first-year to be ranked in the top 100 since April 14, 2021, when Shusharina was ranked No. 91. Phanthala is the first Northwestern player to be ranked in the top 100 in singles and part of a top 50 doubles team since Justine Leong held the No. 88 singles spot and No. 39 doubles position on April 2, 2024.
Phanthala and Jessel are the No. 38-ranked doubles team in the nation, the seventh-highest ranked duo in the Big Ten. The pairing is 10-6 on the season, with five wins over ranked doubles teams. Their 10 wins are the most wins by a Northwestern duo since the 2024 dual season, when Maria Shusharina and Britany Lau had 18 wins together. Eight of Phanthala and Jessel's wins have come at No. 1 doubles slot, including defeating the Terrapins' ranked doubles team this past weekend.
Dagan Fruchtman leads the team in singles wins with a 14-8 record on the season. After her 2-12 record last season, the Ra'anana, Israel, native has surpassed her previous win total sevenfold. Her 14 wins are the most by a Wildcat underclassman since the 2021 dual season, when Briana Crowley tallied 16 wins.
Junior Autumn Rabjohns has the second most singles wins on the team with a 12-7 record, with four of her losses coming to nationally-ranked players. In addition, nine of Rabjohns' 12 wins have come with her dropping just five games or fewer.
First-year Marelie Raath leads the team in wins with 26, having an 11-6 singles record alongside a 15-8 doubles record. Her 15 doubles victories lead the team. Raath's 24 wins are the most by a Northwestern first-year in this decade, and her 11 singles wins are the most by a Wildcat first-year since Sydney Pratt had 12 in the 2022 season.
Raath and Feldman are 9-1 in doubles together, playing exclusively at the No. 2 slot. Their 90.0 win percentage marks the best win percentage by a Northwestern doubles team since the 2024 dual season, when Lau and Shusharina had a 94.7 win percentage.
Jessel has an 8-4 record in singles this season, leading the team in win percentage. Last season, she totaled six singles wins. In doubles this season, she is 12-6 after going 11-2 last season.
Northwestern has faced the Terrapins (16-6, 8-5 Big Ten) in the Big Ten Tournament just one time previously, coming in 2018 — a 4-0 Wildcats win. After falling to Maryland last Friday, Northwestern will look to advance to 10-1 in the all-time series. The Wildcats are aiming for their first win in the Big Ten Tournament since the 2024 campaign after falling to Illinois last season. The Terrapins are led by Oliwia Orlinska, the No. 111-ranked player in the country, who Phanthala knocked off 6-3, 6-3 last Friday. Diya Challa and Emma Ghirardato, the Terrapins' No. 1 doubles team, are the No. 61-ranked pairing nationally, but fell to Phanthala and Jessel 6-3. The Terrapins' eight Big Ten wins are a program record for most Big Ten wins in a season. Northwestern will seek ts highest ranked victory of the season.
The winner of the tilt between the Wildcats and Maryland will advance to face the No. 2-seed and No. 12-ranked USC on Friday, April 24. First serve will be at 1 p.m. CT on B1G+.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
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/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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