Illinois Valley earns first Region 4 title since 2021, move to Division I
PALOS HILLS, ILL. - Four years after moving up to Division I, Illinois Valley Community College has won its first Region 4 Division I Women's Tennis Tournament title. The Eagles defeated runner-up McHenry County College by seven points to secure their third region crown overall after also winning the Division III championships in 2021 and 2019. The College of Lake County's Sasha Baer earned Region 4 Most Valuable Player honors, while IVCC's Julie Milota was named Region 4 Coach of the Year. (Recap: Illinois Valley)
2025 Region 4 Division I Women's Tennis Tournament Final Results
Illinois Valley Community College finished with 19.0 points on the backs of three individual championships, one doubles title, and one singles runner-up. McHenry County College placed second with 12.0 points, taking two titles and one runner-up. Third place Sauk Valley Community College tallied 10.5 points with one championship and three runner-up finishes.
The Eagles Grace Pecchio won the Singles Flight #3 bracket, Raleigh Leininger claimed Singles Flight #5, and Mina James took the title in Singles Flight #6, while Izzy Pecchio was runner-up in Singles Flight #4. Izzy Pecchio and Leininger teamed up to win the Doubles Flight #2 crown.
Baer, a freshman from Lincolnshire, Illinois, defeated Grace Ferguson from SVCC to win the Singles Flight #1, and then duplicated the feat with teammate Linnea Lindstrom to take down Ferguson and Addison Arjes in the Doubles Flight #1 final. Arjes did secure a Singles Flight #2 championship for the Skyhawks.
Emmy Lewis led the Scots to their two titles, winning Singles Flight #4 in a tie-breaker, and then finishing atop the Doubles Flight #3 bracket with teammate Ruth Bierkness.
Region 4 will be represented by at the 2026 NJCAA Divison I Women's Tennis Championships from May 2-6 in Sumter, South Carolina. The College of DuPage will have a chance to compete at the Division III portion of the event.
2025 Division I Women's Tennis All-Region Teams
First Team (Singles)
First Flight
Sasha Baer - College of Lake County
Second Flight
Addison Arjes - Sauk Valley Community College
Third Flight
Grace Pecchio - Illinois Valley Community College
Fourth Flight
Emmy Lewis - McHenry County College
Fifth Flight
Raleigh Leininger - Illinois Valley Community College
Sixth Flight
Mina James - Illinois Valley Community College
First Team (Doubles)
First Flight
Sasha Baer & Linnea Lindstrom - College of Lake County
Second Flight
Izzy Pecchio & Raleigh Leininger - Illinois Valley Community College
Third Flight
Emmy Lewis & Ruth Bierkness - McHenry County College
Second Team (Singles)
First Flight
Grace Ferguson - Sauk Valley Community College
Second Flight
Linnea Lindstrom - College of Lake County
Third Flight
Arielle Tefiku - Sauk Valley Community College
Fourth Flight
Izzy Pecchio - Illinois Valley Community College
Fifth Flight
Valerie Mendoza - College of Lake County
Sixth Flight
Tamera Farraj - Moraine Valley Community College
Second Team (Doubles)
First Flight
Grace Ferguson & Addison Arjes - Sauk Valley Community College
Second Flight
Ashley Phommasack & Michelle Ratinskiy - McHenry County College
Third Flight
Marietta Farraj & & Tamera Farraj - Moraine Valley Community College
Region 4 Most Valuable Player
Sasha Baer - College of Lake County
Region 4 Coach of the Year
Julie Milota - Illinois Valley Community College