Illinois will host the most storied tennis program in the country tonight when Stanford enters the Atkins Tennis Center. The match, which begins at 6 p.m., marks the first Cardinal appearance in Champaign history.

Stanford (8-2 overall, 4-1 Pac-10) has won 18 NCAA men’s tennis team titles, more than any other collegiate program. Illinois (13-3 overall, 3-0 Big Ten), despite its dominance in the Big Ten, is only starting to become a national powerhouse after winning the NCAA team title in 2003.

Although there are some among college tennis that believe the Cardinal are having an off year, being ranked outside the nation’s top 20 – the team is currently No. 22 – and not making an appearance at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Men’s Team Indoor Championships, Illinois head coach Brad Dancer said the Illini will still be prepared for a tough match.

“Everyone thinks that Stanford is down, but they’re not down,” Dancer said. “They have had guys out with injuries and now they are ready to come at us guns ablazing.”

In many ways, both teams are similarly structured, attracting the top amateurs that intend to play professional tennis in the future. Although the caliber of athletes is similar, the classiness of the men is comparable as well, making the match one for the record books.

“It’s going to get bloody and ugly during the match,” Dancer said. “But everyone has so much respect for each other that everyone shakes hands afterwards and says ‘great job.'”

This season, Stanford will look to avenge last year’s 4-3 loss at The Farm to Illinois. The Illini, however, have other plans, said senior Pramod Dabir.

“It will be nice to bring them in here and take care of business,” Dabir said. “It will be a great challenge for us.”

The Cardinal will be led by senior KC Corkery and freshman sensation Matt Bruch. Corkery has been a star in college tennis since his freshman year, winning the NCAA doubles title during his sophomore season in 2004.

“Corkery is a super guy and has been a great representative of college tennis over the years,” Dancer said. “It’s going to be an honor for our guys to compete against him.”

Bruch is the nation’s 18th-ranked singles player and has already tallied impressive results this season. Despite being unseeded, he reached the semifinals of the Polo Ralph Lauren/ITA All-American Championships, the first national college tournament of the year. He lost to eventual champion John Isner of Georgia.

“He’s tough as nails,” Dancer said. “He has a feisty attitude and is someone who is going to be tough to reckon with.”

Illinois hopes to use its home court advantage to pacify the Stanford squad. The match will be held indoors, which favors the Illini, who are comfortable on the indoor surfaces. Stanford, traditionally, is a dominant force outdoors, where it tends to practice and compete as a member of the Pac-10 conference. The Illini, who began their outdoor season with losses at Texas and Texas A&M;, will still have to make minor adjustments after beginning their outdoor season several weeks ago, Illinois sophomore Ryan Rowe said.

“It’s always good to have a good fight when you’re at home,” Rowe said. “It’s going to get loud in the Atkins Tennis Center, the crowd is going to be against the Cardinal; and they are going to feel the pressure.”