blog posts Big Ten Football to resume October 23-24 Sep 16, 2020 8:45 am The Big Ten will require all on-field personnel to undergo daily antigen testing with results completed and recorded prior to each practice or game. Illini Basketball attendance Once again in top 25 Aug 19, 2020 1:30 pm Illinois ranked 24th nationally in men's basketball home attendance during the 2019-20 season, averaging 13,041 fans across 18 games at State Farm Center, for a total of nearly a quarter million spectators. Chen finishes fifth in China’s National Amateur Tour leg 1 Aug 18, 2020 9:30 am Illinois freshman Siyan Chen tied for fifth at the China Golf Association's National Amateur Tour Leg 1 held in Yangjiang, Guangdong, China. Big Ten Conference postpones all fall sports Aug 11, 2020 2:30 pm The decision applies to all fall sports, including the football, volleyball, women's soccer and cross country programs. The Big Ten Conference will continue to evaluate the possibility of competition in the spring. Illini Pride membership available now for U of I students Aug 7, 2020 10:00 am Due to the announced reduced capacity at Memorial Stadium this season, student tickets for Illinois football will be available through a lottery system to only Illini Pride members. 2020 Illini Football schedule announced Aug 5, 2020 10:45 am The revised 2020 Illinois football schedule was released by the Big Ten Conference today, with the Fighting Illini opening the season September 3 with a Thursday Night Special against Ohio State at Memorial Stadium. Kofi Cockburn, Ayo Dosunmu returning for 2020-21 Aug 3, 2020 9:15 am Center Kofi Cockburn and guard Ayo Dosunmu have both announced their return to Illinois for the 2020-21 season. 'My dream is to play in the NBA. But first I need that national championship,' Dosunmu said. Messages pour in honoring Coach Lou Henson Jul 31, 2020 12:45 pm As the news of legendary Fighting Illini basketball coach and ambassador Lou Henson's passing broke, hundreds of posts on social media were shared with personal anecdotes about the man in an orange blazer. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley: Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2020 Jul 30, 2020 9:15 am The many accomplishments of former Fighting Illini volleyball standout and 2020 Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Michelle Bartsch-Hackley. Legendary Fighting Illini Lou Henson passes away at 88 Jul 29, 2020 12:00 pm Legendary Fighting Illini basketball coach and ambassador Lou Henson passed away peacefully in his Champaign home Saturday, July 25, the Henson family announced Wednesday, July 29. Illinois Athletics joins Green Bandana Project Jul 28, 2020 9:30 am The program offers student-athletes training that focuses on recognizing and learning how to respond when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis. This peer to peer response can help to encourage those in need to get help. Fahey named among 100 Influential People in Women's College Basketball Jul 22, 2020 6:30 pm Fahey, who is entering her 35th year as a collegiate head coach overall and her fourth year at Illinois, became synonymous with excellence during her 31-year tenure at Washington University in St. Louis. Jake Hansen named to Butkus Award watch list Jul 20, 2020 10:45 am Illinois senior linebaker Jake Hansen has been named to the Butkus Award watch list. It is the second career watch list for Hansen, who is on the Bednarik 2020 watch list and was a Butkus Award semifinalist in 2019. COVID-19 Briefing Series: Athletics Jul 17, 2020 9:15 am Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Director Josh Whitman and sports medicine head Randy Ballard discuss plans for 2020-21 Illinois Athletics. Edwards named NCAA Woman of the Year nominee Jul 15, 2020 10:30 am Taylor Edwards, a standout pitcher for the Fighting Illini softball program for four seasons before joining the women's basketball team for her final year of eligibility in 2019-20, has been named as a nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year. Fall sports: DIA's statement on Big Ten Conference announcement Jul 10, 2020 10:15 am Teams will compete against only Big Ten Conference opponents, and participation in sports is voluntary, with scholarship and financial aid protected for all student-athletes regardless of their participation. House of 'Paign upsets top seed, advances to TBT Quarterfinals Jul 9, 2020 9:45 am The Illinois alumni team House of 'Paign knocked off No. 1 seed and defending champion Carmen's Crew (Ohio State alumni), 76-68, in Wednesday's round of 16 action at The Basketball Tournament (TBT). Mercilus named to BTN All-Decade Second Team Jul 7, 2020 10:45 am Mercilus was a consensus All-American and won the Hendricks Award (top DE in the nation) at Illinois in 2011 after one of the best seasons by a defender in Fighting Illini history. Atkins Group gives Stone Creek Golf Club to Illinois Athletics Jun 30, 2020 9:30 am The golf club will remain closed for the 2020 season while undergoing improvements, and re-open as a championship-caliber public course and the home of the Fighting Illini men's and women's golf programs. The gift value exceeds $15 million. Brandon Lieb signs with Fighting Illini Basketball Jun 29, 2020 9:00 am Lieb is a 7-0, 210-pound center from Deerfield, Illinois. 'Brandon's skill level and shooting ability stand out right away; he can really space the floor at the 5,' said Illini Head Coach Brad Underwood. Latest Atkins Baseball Training Center rendering released Jun 24, 2020 8:30 am Illinois has released an updated rendering of the state-of-the-art Susan and Clint Atkins Baseball Training Center. The project is scheduled for completion by January 2022. IHSA Boys State Basketball Tournament will return to Champaign Jun 16, 2020 9:15 am The Illinois High School Association announced that its Boys State Basketball Tournament will return to the State Farm Center in Champaign for three years, through 2023. Football student-athletes begin return to campus Jun 10, 2020 8:00 am Players returning for voluntary works begin with viral and antibody testing, initial quarantining, and contact tracing. Arrangements will be made for extended quarantine and care of any student-athlete testing positive for COVID-19. Feliz, Biondi receive Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award May 27, 2020 4:45 pm The Big Ten announced on Wednesday that Illinois' Andres Feliz (basketball) and Nicole Biondi (gymnastics) were named Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners for the 2019-20 academic year. Illinois Athletics plans for safe return of student-athletes to campus May 26, 2020 9:00 am The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics is preparing to return groups of student-athletes to campus for voluntary summer training, with staggered arrivals beginning as early as June 3. Three Illini named to Men's Tennis All Big Ten teams May 21, 2020 10:30 am Senior Aleks Kovacevic, junior Alex Brown, and sophomore Siphosothando Montsi have been named to the Men's Tennis All-Big Ten teams. Kawai, Rabinowitz named to All-Big Ten team May 20, 2020 3:45 pm Illinois women's tennis juniors Asuka Kawai and Mia Rabinowitz were named to the 2020 All-Big Ten Team, as announced by the conference office Wednesday, May 20. Paradise, Edwards earn Big Ten Medals of Honor May 15, 2020 9:00 am The Big Ten Medal of Honor is awarded annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each institution for excellence on and off the field throughout their college career. Quade, Dosunmu named Dike Eddleman Athletes of the Year May 14, 2020 8:00 am As Fighting Illini Athletes of the Year, Dosunmu and Quade become Illinois' nominees for Big Ten Athlete of the Year honors, which will be announced later this spring. Takekawa, Cockburn named Illinois Freshmen of the Year May 13, 2020 9:30 am Mia Takekawa (gymnastics) and Kofi Cockburn (basketball) have been named winners of the annual award, presented to the top male and female freshman competing for the Fighting Illini. Edwards, Feliz, Brown win Fighting Illini Spirit Awards May 12, 2020 10:30 am Taylor Edwards (women's basketball), Andres Feliz(men's basketball), and Dre Brown (football) are winners of the 2020 Fighting Illini Spirit Awards for best exemplifying spirit, courage, effort and dedication. 15 questions with Giorgi Bezhanishvili May 7, 2020 10:15 am The cancellation of the tournaments, the suspension of classes, announcements of friends exploring opportunities in the pros. Giorgi Bezhanishvili stays positive, as always. Kameno Bell: Illini hero, American hero Apr 27, 2020 10:00 am Since 2007, Kameno Bell has served as an emergency medicine physician at New Jersey's Hackensack University Medical Center, just 10 miles from the world's COVID-19 epicenter in New York City. 2020 Illinois 'Mr. Basketball' signs with Fighting Illini Apr 23, 2020 2:00 pm Consensus top-40 recruit Adam Miller has signed a national letter of intent. A two-time Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year, Miller is a 6-foot-3-inch, 180-pound combo guard from Peoria. AD Whitman's update on Illini Athletics Apr 21, 2020 8:00 am With an unforeseeable return date, Whitman is encouraged by the resilience of student-athletes and athletic staff. 'I'm always amazed at the creativity and ingenuity that people can show in the face of challenge.' How Illini Tennis helped rekindle Gandawidjaja's passion Apr 15, 2020 4:15 pm As a junior-year walk-on, Madeleine Gandawidjaja's path to Big Ten tennis team was certainly unconventional. Fighting Illini Athletics Hall Of Fame Class of 2020 announced Apr 8, 2020 8:45 am Football is represented by Ray Nitschke, Kevin Hardy and Moe Gardner. Basketball inductees include Derek Harper, Tal Brody and all-time leading scorer and rebounder for the women's program, Jenna Smith. Perseverance pays off for Illini gymnast Brittany Jones Mar 23, 2020 11:15 am Brittany Jones didn't make her women's gymnastics debut until nearly two and a half years after she arrived on campus. But in the fall of 2016she was healthy, happy and ready to compete. A series of injuries changed all that. Remainder of 2020 Big Ten men's basketball tournament canceled Mar 12, 2020 12:00 pm Indianapolis Star (March 12) The SEC, Big 12, Pac 12, Mid-American, American Athletic Conference and Atlantic 10 also canceled conference tournaments on Thursday. The Ivy League canceled its tournament on Tuesday. Big Ten Tournament game notes Mar 12, 2020 8:00 am The Fighting Illini open play in Friday's Quarterfinals at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Game time is 1:25 pm (CDT). Dosunmu, Cockburn, Underwood rake in postseason honors Mar 11, 2020 10:15 am Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn picked up more honors on Tuesday, after each collected Big Ten honors on Monday. And Coach Brad Underwood was named Big Ten Coach of the Year by HoopsHD.com. Cockburn B1G Freshman of the Year; Dosunmu First-Team All-B1G Mar 10, 2020 9:00 am The Big Ten Confference announced the awards for Kofi Cockburn and Ayo Dosunmu. Senior guard Andres Feliz was recognized as Illinois' Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree. Illini stuff Hawkeyes, earn double bye in B1G tournament Mar 9, 2020 8:45 am Kofi Cockburn used all of his 7-foot frame to stuff Iowa center Luka Garza before the final horn to clinch Illinois' 78-76 win and the fourth seed in the 2020 Big Ten Tournament. Senior Sendoff for four Illini this Sunday Mar 6, 2020 4:00 pm The No. 23 Fighting Illini host No. 18 Iowa Sunday night at State Farm Center in what will be the final home game for four Illini seniors: Andres Feliz, Kipper Nichols, Samson Oladimeji and Tyler Underwood. Buckeyes rally to top Illini, 71-63 Mar 6, 2020 9:30 am Ayo Dosunmu scored 21 points and Andres Feliz had a double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds), but No. 23 Illinois fell at No. 19 Ohio State, 71-63, Thursday night at Value City Arena. Illini look to stay hot vs. #19 Buckeyes tonight Mar 5, 2020 9:15 am Currently one-half game out of first place in the Big Ten standings, Illinois plays its final road game of the season on Thursday night at Ohio State. Comia leads Illini Baseball to home opening win over Chicago State Mar 4, 2020 10:30 am Branden Comia had a career-high four hits, four RBIs and Garrett Acton tied Illinois' career saves record in the 11-8 home opening win over Chicago State. The Illini won for the fifth time in the last six games. Illinois’ Holešínská earns All-Big Ten honorable mention Mar 3, 2020 9:00 am Holešínská, a reshirt junior, leads the Illini in scoring at 13.0 points per game. She's done most of her damage from three-point range with a three-point percentage of .418. Illini down Hoosiers, 67-66, for 20th win Mar 2, 2020 8:30 am Ayo Dosunmu is becoming legendary at Illinois for his hustle, talent and an intangible yet reliable ability to take over a game and win it in the final seconds. On Sunday, he had 17 points to lead Illinois over Indiana, 67-66. Griffin's career night propels Illini past Northwestern, 74-66 Feb 28, 2020 9:45 am Alan Griffin set career highs with 24 points and six 3-pointers, Ayo Dosunmu scored 21 and Illinois beat struggling Northwestern 74-66 on Thursday night.
