Illinois Featured Content

Mike Poeta named head wrestling coach

Apr 22, 2021 9:30 am

Mike Poeta, one of Illinois's all-time greatest wrestlers and top assistant coaches in the nation as a member of the Fighting Illini staff, was named head wrestling coach today by Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman.

Rummell earns NFCA and B1G Player of the Week honors

Apr 21, 2021 12:30 pm

Illini Softball third baseman Delaney Rummell hit .750 (9-for-12) with 10 RBI, helping the Illini to three Big Ten wins over Purdue last weekend. She recorded three multi-hit and multi-RBI games, with four extra-base hits, and slugged 1.250.

Kofi Cockburn wearing a Big Ten Tournament championship tee shirt, celebrating with teammates

Kofi Cockburn declares for NBA draft

Apr 19, 2021 8:45 am

Cockburn is the first center in Illinois history to achieve consensus All-America status, earning a spot on the Wooden Award All-American Team and garnering second-team All-America accolades from the AP, NABC, USBWA, Sporting News, CBS Sports and USA Today.

infielders regroup in a meeting at the pitcher's mound during a previous game

Illini Softball hosts Purdue this weekend

Apr 15, 2021 8:45 am

This series against the Boilermakers will be the second series at Eichelberger Field this season. Illinois is ranked fourth in the Big Ten conference standings, while Purdue is ranked 12th.

image of Jon Davis running with graphic congratulating him on Athlete of the Week honors

Jon Davis is Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week

Apr 14, 2021 10:30 am

Jon Davis was named the Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week and Manning Plater was named the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week the conference office announced on Wednesday.

Zeke Clark earns 100th singles win as Illinois takes B1G West crown

Apr 12, 2021 9:30 am

The Illini captured their first Big Ten division championship to go along with 15 overall conference titles, the most recent coming in 2015. Illinois also earned the No. 1 seed in the West for the Big Ten Men's Tennis Championships.

Illini Wrestling Coach Jim Heffernan with text, 'congratulations on your retirement'

Illini Wrestling Coach Jim Heffernan announces retirement

Apr 9, 2021 9:15 am

Jim Heffernan, who helped lead the U of I wrestling program to 13 Top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships, announced his retirement today after 12 years as head coach and 29 years overall with the Illini wrestling program.

Demirjian family and others pose on new track.

Demirjian Park Grand opening: New home for U of I soccer, track and cross country

Apr 8, 2021 10:00 am

Demirjian Park allows Illinois to host Big Ten and NCAA championship competition in both soccer and track and field. It is expected to become a destination location for training and competition by elite and youth athletes.

View from behind Ayo Dosunmu as he raises his arms in celebration. Text says, 'Thank you, Ayo'

Dosunmu declares for NBA draft

Apr 7, 2021 9:45 am

Dosunmu accumulated the most impressive single-season list of accolades ever by an Illini player, highlighted by USA Today National Player of the Year, Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year, and consensus first-team All-American.

Defensive Player of the Week in the Big Ten Taylor Kuper

Kuper named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week

Apr 6, 2021 1:15 pm

After two standout performances during the final weekend of the regular season - including helping to lead Illinois volleyball to a five-set victory over No. 8 Purdue on Saturday, Taylor Kuper was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.

team members congratulate Katie Wingerter after her home run

Illinois Softball defeats Wisconsin in Sunday series finale

Apr 5, 2021 8:45 am

Sydney Sickels threw her second one-hit complete game shutout of the season. Katie Wingerter hit her second home run of the season. Illinois is now 14-6 on the season following Sunday afternoon's victory in Madison.

Montsi named Big Ten Athlete of the Week, second time this season

Mar 31, 2021 8:00 am

Siphosothando Montsi was named Big Ten Tennis Athlete of the Week. Montsi went undefeated in singles and doubles in Illinois' wins over No. 25 Michigan and Michigan State.

an Illini player's swing capture just before she connects with the ball

Illini take down Minnesota in Sunday series finale, 8-0

Mar 29, 2021 10:00 am

The Illinois Fighting Illini softball team defeated Minnesota 8-0 on Sunday afternoon in the series finale of the four-game series at Eichelberger Field. The Illini are now 11-5 on the season.

Illini host Hoosiers for Senior Weekend

Mar 26, 2021 1:15 pm

The Illinois volleyball team is set to wrap up its 2020-21 home schedule this weekend as the Illini welcome in Indiana for Senior Weekend on March 26-27 in Huff Hall.

action at Illinois Field on a warm, sunny day pre-COVID-19

Baseball! Illinois Field opener set for Friday

Mar 25, 2021 10:00 am

Illini Baseball is set to open its home slate this weekend against Northwestern at 4 p.m. Friday. Unfortunately, no fans are permitted in accordance with the local health department and campus COVID-19 operations restrictions.

promotional graphic for Women's Tennis games on March 26 & 28

Illini head to Wisconsin, Minnesota for the weekend

Mar 24, 2021 3:45 pm

The Illinois Fighting Illini women's tennis squad will be on the road this weekend for two conference matches, against the Wisconsin Badgers on Friday at noon, and, against the Minnesota Gophers on Sunday morning.

Raina Terry featured on graphic announcing her selection as Big Ten Freshman of the Week

Terry named Big Ten Freshman of the Week

Mar 22, 2021 3:00 pm

After leading the Illinois volleyball team to a weekend sweep with back-to-back wins over Maryland this past weekend, freshman Raina Terry was selected as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

Kofi Cockburn goes up for a shot under the basket against Loyola

Illini Fall to Loyola Chicago in Round of 32

Mar 21, 2021 4:45 pm

The No. 1-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini basketball team fell to No. 8 Loyola Chicago in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, 71-58

broad shot of the court as Ayo Dosunmu dunks

Round one, done. Illinois takes care of Drexel

Mar 19, 2021 3:30 pm

The Illini were led by junior Ayo Dosunmu’s 17 points 11 rebounds and six assists as well as sophomore Kofi Cockburn’s 18 points and five rebounds on 8-of-11 shooting.

two volleyball players whisper to each other in promotional graphic

Illini Volleyball hosts Maryland for two-match series

Mar 19, 2021 9:15 am

The Illinois volleyball team returns to Huff Hall to open its final four-match homestand of the season this weekend as the Illini host Maryland in a two-match series on March 19-20.

junior Ayo Dosunmu, shown from teh back with name and number showing, in graphic with text "USA Today National Player of the Year"

Dosunmu named USA Today National Player of the Year

Mar 18, 2021 10:30 am

Ayo Dosunmu is the first Illini to earn a National Player of the Year award since Dee Brown was selected by Sporting News in 2005. Dosunmu becomes the fifth Illini ever to receive Player of the Year recognition.

men's golf team stands in a line. Text reads, 'Louisiana Classic Champions'

Ji, Illini Men's Golf post record performances in Louisiana Classics victory

Mar 17, 2021 8:00 am

The No. 4-ranked Fighting Illini men's golf team closed out its third victory in as many tournaments on Tuesday. The team tallied five top-seven individual finishes, including the first collegiate tournament victory for sophomore Jerry Ji.

graphic with players faces, text reading 'we're in'

No. 1 seed Illini to face Drexel in NCAA Tournament

Mar 16, 2021 9:45 am

The Fighting Illini (23-6) are the No. 1 seed in the Midwest region fresh off winning the Big Ten Tournament. Illinois will open their NCAA Tournament against sixteenth-seeded Drexel (12-7) in the round of 64.

team members hoist Big Ten Tournament Championship trophy

Illini are Big Ten Champions, earn No. 1 seed in NCAA tournament

Mar 14, 2021 7:45 pm

The Fighting Illini basketball team earned their third overall Big Ten Tournament title, and their first title since 2005 in a 91-88 overtime victory over Ohio State Sunday afternoon in Lucas Oil Stadium.

Andre Curbelo celebrates the victory over Iowa

Illini down Hawkeyes, head to B1G Championship

Mar 13, 2021 6:45 pm

The second-seeded Illini downed the third-seeded Hawkeyes 82-71 Saturday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. The Illini now move on to the B1G Championship game Sunday afternoon.

graphic advertising Saturday's game against Iowa at the Big Ten Tournament

Big Ten Tournament Notes | Illinois vs. Iowa

Mar 13, 2021 10:15 am

Following a 90-68 victory over Rutgers in the quarterfinals, No. 2 seed Illinois faces No. 3 seed Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on Saturday afternoon (2:30 p.m. CT, CBS).

Ayo Dosunmu, wearing a mask to protect a broken nose, with teammates

No. 2 seeded Illini head to the Big Ten Tournament

Mar 12, 2021 9:00 am

Illinois is a No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament for the fourth time. Illinois is 5-2 as the No. 2 seed, winning the championship in 2003 and advancing to the semifinals in 1998 and 2009.

An Illini wrestler grapples with a Michigan wrestler

Five Illini Wrestlers qualify for NCAA Championships

Mar 11, 2021 8:45 am

The Illini have two automatic qualifiers in redshirt freshman Lucas Byrd and senior Dylan Duncan, while sophomore Luke Luffman and redshirt sophomores Danny Braunagel and Zac Braunagel earned at-large bids.

Freshman guard Aaliyah Nye handles the ball near the free throw line against Wisconsin

Illini blitz Badgers, advance in B1G Women's Basketball Tournament

Mar 10, 2021 8:45 am

The Fighting Illini women's basketball team jumped out to a 17-0 lead and never looked back en route to a 67-42 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament on Tuesday.

Kofi Cockburn and Ayo Dosunmu congratulate each other on court

Four Illini collect Big Ten awards

Mar 9, 2021 4:15 pm

The All-Big Ten teams and individual award winners were announced on Tuesday by the conference office, with the Illinois program well represented on the list of league honors.

Eva Rubin honored with Big Ten Sportsmanship Award

Mar 9, 2021 8:45 am

On the eve of the Fighting Illini women's basketball team's Big Ten Tournament opener vs. Wisconsin, redshirt-junior center Eva Rubin was honored by the league as the team's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

bracket graphic showing matchups for the Big Ten Tournament

Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament bracket set

Mar 8, 2021 8:45 am

The Fighting Illini are the No. 2 seed, earning a double-bye to the quarterfinal round for the second consecutive season. Illinois will open play on Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT on BTN, facing the winner of No. 7 seed Rutgers vs. No. 10 seed Indiana.

right handed pitcher Andrew Hoffman in follow-through motion

Illini Baseball opens its 142nd season today in Greenville, SC

Mar 5, 2021 9:15 am

Illinois is returning to the field for the first time since March 8, 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic ended their season early. This weekend they'll play a four-game series against Ohio State.

The Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center

Smith Football Center ranked #13 in the nation

Mar 4, 2021 8:00 am

The Smith Football Center opened in August 2019, including expanded strength and conditioning and sports medicine spaces, coaches' offices, position meeting rooms, player development areas, and areas for recruiting, prospect hosting.

Trent Frazier stretches to get a shot off against Michigan defenders under the basket

Illinois dominates No. 2 Michigan in 76-53 road victory

Mar 3, 2021 8:45 am

It's the highest win against a ranked opponent on the road since the 1989 team's win at third-ranked Indiana. The Illini were led by Trent Frazier (22 points, 4 rebounds), Andre Curbelo (17 points, 6 rebounds) and Kofi Cockburn (12 points, 7 rebounds).

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