Illinois Tech Athletics Digest: Women’s Tennis Wins NACC Opener

Each week, the Illinois Tech Athletics Digest will look back at the week that was in Scarlet Hawks athletics and provide a brief glimpse at what is up next.  

Up First

September 16: Women’s Volleyball versus Elmhurst University

September 16: Women’s Soccer at Aurora University

September 16: Men’s Soccer versus Aurora University

September 18: Men’s Tennis at Purdue University Northwest

September 18: Women’s Volleyball at Lake Forest College (at Forester Invitational)

September 19: Women’s Volleyball versus Eureka College (at Forester Invitational)

September 19: Women’s Cross Country at Gil Dodds Invitational in Warrenville, Illinois

September 19: Men’s Cross Country at Gil Dodds Invitational in Warrenville, Illinois

September 19: Women’s Volleyball versus Alverno College (at Forester Invitational)

September 19: Men’s Soccer at St. Norbert College

September 19: Women’s Soccer at St. Norbert College

September 19: Women’s Tennis versus Edgewood University

Now, here’s a look at the action from the week beginning September 7, 2026.

Women’s Tennis Wins NACC Opener

The Illinois Tech women’s tennis team won its Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference opener on Tuesday, September 8, with a 6-0 sweep at Milwaukee School of Engineering. Earning wins for the Scarlet Hawks (1-3, 1-1 NACC) were Annaliese Kielmeyer (BME 1st Year), Angelica Conwell (B.ARCH. 5th Year), Maia Lecuona Ramos (BME 2nd Year), Thea Salcedo (CHE 2nd Year), and Paige Geiger (B.ARCH. 4th Year) in singles, while the doubles teams of Kielmeyer/Martyna Kalinowska (CS 3rd Year), Ramos/Salcedo, and Conwell/Kira Lai (AE 1st Year) also won.  

On Saturday, September 12, the Scarlet Hawks fell 5-2 in an NACC match against Concordia University Wisconsin. Lecuona Ramos and Conwell won in singles, while the team of Lecuona Ramos/Salcedo won in doubles.  

Women’s Soccer Heads into Conference Play with Win

Tvesa Vahtulya (PSYC 2nd Year) scored twice and Olivia Roy (PSYC 1st Year) and Eva Narvarte (B.ARCH. 3rd Year) each added goals as the Illinois Tech women’s soccer team beat North Park 4-2 on Monday, September 14, in the final game before its Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference opener. Clara Estiandan (CE 2nd Year) added four saves in the win.  

In its only game last week, the Scarlet Hawks (2-3) lost 4-1 at Hope College on Wednesday, September 9. The Scarlet Hawks (1-3) got a goal from Kayla Frassinelli (PSYC 1st Year), five saves from Kayla Hampton (B.ARCH. 4th Year), and four saves from Estiandan.

Men’s Soccer Splits Final Nonconference Games

The Illinois Tech men’s soccer team split a pair of nonconference games last week, falling 3-0 at Hope College on Tuesday, September 8, and beating Beloit College 2-1 at home on Saturday, September 12.  

Paul Balea (DSC 4th Year) and Adrian Cogolludo (ME 3rd Year) each scored goals for the Scarlet Hawks (3-2) against Beloit, while David Rodriguez (AE, AMAT 4th Year) made four saves. Colin Thomas (ME 4th Year) made six saves against Hope.  

Women’s Volleyball Battles, Wins Once

Illinois Tech’s women’s volleyball team battled all week, but it only came out with one win in four matches. The Scarlet Hawks (3-4) dropped a four-set match to Carthage College on Wednesday, September 9, and then won one of three matches on September 11–12 at the DePauw University Volleyball Invitational. They beat Anderson University 3-0 on Friday and lost to Monmouth College (3-2) and host DePauw (3-0) on Saturday.  

Against Carthage, Payton Smith (PSYC 3rd Year) led the way with 13 kills, while Karla Trautmann Mendez (B.ARCH. 4th Year) added 12 kills and a team-high 13 digs. In the win over Anderson, Mendez led the way with 14 kills, while Rowan Midgette (AE 3rd Year) chipped in with 22 assists. On Saturday, Brooke Rifkin (FINA 4th Year) had a team-best 23 digs and Midgette added 25 assists and 21 digs against Monmouth, while Mendez had 13 kills and 11 digs and Midgette added 16 assists and six digs against DePauw.

Cross County Teams Open Season

The Illinois Tech men’s and women’s team opened their seasons on Saturday, September 12, at the Spartan Classic, which took place at Settler’s Hill Cross Country Course in Geneva, Illinois.  

Benjamin Gaeta (ME 2nd Year) finished 20th in a time of 32 minutes, 2.1 seconds in the men’s 8k race to lead the Scarlet Hawks. The women’s team was led by Isabelle Pullen (EE 4th Year), who finished 31st in 29:41.6 in the women’s 6k race.  

Scarlet Hawks of the Week

Women’s tennis student-athlete Maia Lecuona Ramos (BME 2nd Year) and men’s soccer student-athlete Adrian Cogolludo (ME 3rd Year) were named the Scarlet Hawks of the Week for the week of September 7, 2026.  

Photo: Illinois Tech women’s tennis player Martyna Kalinowska (CS 3rd Year) (Photo courtesy of Illinois Tech Athletics)