Northwestern men's tennis team, ranked No. 55, is set to host No. 35 Michigan State and No. 44 Michigan during its final homestand of the season. The Wildcats (13-6, 1-3 Big Ten) recently suffered losses against No. 30 Wisconsin and No. 51 Nebraska, managing to secure only two wins during that weekend. Sophomore Carter Pate made headway with his first career singles victory against a Big Ten opponent. Northwestern is aiming to bounce back against Michigan State, looking for their first top 40 win since early February, while striving to defeat Michigan for the first time since 2016.

By the Numbers
  • Northwestern has 13 wins this season, the most since 2022.
  • Carter Pate is the team's leader with 27 total wins, the highest for a Wildcat since 2022.
  • Pate and Greyson Casey are ranked No. 25 nationally in doubles, boasting a perfect 14-0 record.
  • Michigan's Max Dahlin is No. 10 in singles and has a 9-1 record at No. 1.
State of Play
  • Northwestern's recent performance has seen them drop two matches in a row.
  • They are one of the the few Big Ten teams still seeking to overcome a tough ranked opponent.
  • Michigan State remains undefeated in conference play, coming off two recent wins.
  • Northwestern seeks to end a losing streak against Michigan State, last winning in April 2023.
What's Next

After competing against Michigan State and Michigan, Northwestern will travel to face Penn State and Ohio State next weekend, critical matches that could impact their standing in the Big Ten.

Bottom Line

Northwestern must leverage its home advantage to secure crucial wins against both Michigan foes if they hope to maintain momentum and improve their Big Ten ranking ahead of tough upcoming matches against Penn State and Ohio State.