The Daily Illini: Moms Weekend 2022

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NEWS

The DI · Wednesday, March 30, 2022

CU teachers' union files 10-day strike notice

By Thomas DeMouy Staff Writer

The Champaign Federation of Teachers filed a 10-day strike notice on Friday after it failed to reach a deal with the Champaign Unit 4 school district in negotiations over a 45-minute addition to the school day for elementary students.

According to the school board, after the restructuring of non-classroom time, this will only amount to a 15 minute increase in the working time of teachers, which would reduce the board’s previous proposal of adding 35 minutes to teachers’ workdays.

“The board achieved this by repurposing supervision time to planning, instruction, lunch and recess time,” the school district said in a statement on Friday.

The Champaign Federation of Teachers stated in a press release

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that it “proposed a compromise that would introduce an extended school day gradually” in order to give teachers time to plan on how to best support students over the course of two years.

“We offered time to extend the school day beginning next year, with the opportunity to add more time in the years that follow,” said Mike Sitch, co-president of the Champaign Federation of Teachers in the press release. “We are filing our 10-day intent to strike notice this morning to ensure that we are prepared should the board refuse to negotiate further.”

The next bargaining session between the school district and the Champaign Federation of Teachers is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m., and a deal “must be reached by April 4 to avert a strike,” according to the Champaign Federation of Teachers press release. tdemouy2@dailyillini.com The Daily Illini is the independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The newspaper is published by the Illini Media Co. The Daily Illini does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the University of Illinois administration, faculty or students.

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Bottenfield Elementary School is one of 12 elementary schools in the Champaign Unit 4 school district. The Champaign Federation of Teachers has filed a 10-day strike with the district after failing to reach a deal.

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LIFE & CULTURE

The DI · Wednesday, March 30, 2022

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Marching Illini recaps unique performance in Dublin

By Jacqui Nguyen Staff Writer

During spring break, the Marching Illini traded in Grange Grove for the streets of Dublin. Spring 2022 marked the ninth time the band performed in Dublin, the center of Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities.

In 1992, the Marching Illini became the first collegiate marching band to participate in Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities. They have been going every three or four years since.

“We’ve developed a phenomenal relationship with the people of Ireland and provided a great experience for many of our students including some who have never experienced international travel before,” said Barry Houser, director of the Marching Illini.

Planning such a large trip was not easy—especially with concerns from students, families and the University about COVID-19. With rising cases of the Omicron variant in December and January, Houser was ready to pull the plug on the trip. However, through his work on several national committees doing research on COVID-19 as it pertains to the music profession, he was able to properly assess the constantly changing situation.

“I’ve spent a lot of time with our administration seeing if this is the right thing,” Houser said. “As COVID-19 continued to develop, there were so many times that we thought there was light at the end of the tunnel, but then we realized that there were more tunnels to get through.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF @MARCHINGILLINI TWITTER

The Marching Illini participates in the St. Patrick Day's Parade in Dublin, Ireland on March 17. Matthew Guibord, freshman in Engineering, talks about performing in the band's ninth appearance in the parade.

Fortunately, cases started to drop in the weeks leading up to the trip.

During the last week of February, Ireland stopped requiring a negative test result for incoming vaccinated travelers. However, the U.S. still required a negative test result to get back into the country. The band had minimal issues with this policy.

“Campus officials predicted that there were going to be about 30 to 40 cases that we were going to have to keep in Ireland to isolate there,” Houser said. “Before classes on Monday, we had all our students back in the United States.”

The band performed twice on this trip, once at the Kilkenny Castle and a second time in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin. To prepare for these performances, the band had a few rehearsals to brush up on pieces they practiced during the fall season.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin occurred in front of an audience of around half a million people. Compared to the University audience of loyal fans who had been following the Marching Illini for years, many

of those the new audience of Ireland natives were not used to seeing an American marching band.

Matthew Guibord, freshman in Engineering and an alto saxophone player, noticed the audience difference.

“They hadn’t really seen a band of our size before,” Guibord said. “I was on the very edge of the parade block so while we were doing our cadence, I looked over and saw people’s reactions to seeing all of us. It was a new experience for us and them.”

The parade also provided members with the unique experience of performing independently of the University football team. Trumpet section leader, Nisha Sen, senior in LAS, noticed differences between University performances and the ones in Ireland.

“At school, our intent is to support the team before anything else,” Sen said.

“That’s everyone’s purpose when we perform on campus. When we’re performing there, it was a performance that was just for us and something that only the Marching Illini got invited to do.”

Outside of performing, members were

also able to enjoy the culture, food, sights and experiences Ireland offered.

The band went on guided tours of Dublin, Belfast and Galway, but were also given the freedom to explore the area independently. For many students, this was the first time they were able to experience a new country by themselves.

“On the last Thursday of the trip, I went with two friends to downtown Dublin and we walked around the shops and listened to live music which was a really unique experience,” Guibord said.

Looking back on the trip, Guibord said he is grateful for the opportunity to strengthen relationships with his friends and form new friendships.

“I got a lot closer with the people around me,” Guibord said. “Just being in a new environment, we had no idea what we were doing other than what we had on the itinerary. We didn’t know any of the people and hadn’t been there before. I feel like we gravitate towards each other and relied on each other a little more because of this.” jnguye75@dailyillini.com

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The DI · Wednesday, March 30, 2022

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LIFE & CULTURE

The DI · Wednesday, March 30, 2022

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Student moms balance education, motherhood

By Matt Troher Assistant Features Editor

Dian Nurfajriah, graduate student in Labor and Employment Relations, sat at her apartment’s kitchen table and logged into a Zoom meeting. Like many students working from home, her background was blurred to eliminate distractions.

However, Nurfajriah’s background occasionally became unblurred when her three-year-old son, Izan’s, natural curiosity got the best of him as he peered into the webcam’s frame.

Alongside being a student, Nurfajriah is the mother of three children: seven-year-old Gentza, five-year-old Ziya and three-year-old Izan.

According to the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, nearly 22% of all undergraduate college students are parents, with student mothers outnumbering fathers 2.7 million to 1.1 million. Additionally, a law requiring all Illinois colleges and universities to collect data regarding student parents roughly estimated 14% of college students in Illinois are parents.

Student parents at the University face a unique set of challenges and joys as they juggle dual responsibilities of parenting and academics.

Nurfajriah said she and her husband moved from Indonesia to Champaign to begin her master’s program.

There, they lived at Orchard Downs — a University Housing community that serves primarily graduate students and their families. Nurfajriah said the flexibility of her study program and her husband’s support made balancing parenting and academics relatively easy.

Nurfajriah said she enjoys living at Orchard Downs. She emphasized the impact University Housing’s support for student families had on her family’s standard of living.

“Orchard Downs is really nice to bring family to,” Nurfajriah said.

“University Housing was really supportive when helping me choose my apartment. They didn’t just set me up in any apartment, they took into account my preferences like living near a playground and on the first floor, and they made it happen.”

Nurfajriah described the best part of living at Orchard Downs.

“It really helped me because I can stay at home and study and my kids can spend their time at the playgrounds right behind our apartment,” Nurfajriah said. “A big hill is right in front of our apartment, so last win-

PHOTO COURTESY OF DIAN NURFAJRIAH

Dian Nurfajriah, graduate student studying Labor and Employment Relations, with her husband and children, Gentza, Ziya and Izan, at Orchard Downs family residences in Urbana. ter our kids really enjoyed sledding down the hill. I’m so grateful for their support.”

When the challenges of being an international student get to her, Nurfajriah said she looks to her children for inspiration.

“Being an international student in a country I’ve never been to before with a different language, culture and so on is hard sometimes,” Nurfajriah said. “Whenever I feel exhausted with (classes), I go to my kids, look at how adorable they are, look how they

also try their best to adapt here and remember how my husband supports me too.”

Ilze Vaivode, graduate student in Education, moved to Champaign from Riga, Latvia in 2020 to attend the University on a Fulbright grant. When Vaivode and her husband arrived, they chose not to enroll their two-year-old son Benjamin in preschool due to COVID-19 concerns.

“That was a really big struggle,” Vaivode said. “I have a job, I’m a fulltime student and my husband has a

job as well. Balancing work, studies and taking care of a child was really a struggle. It was very draining.”

Vaivode also lives at Orchard Downs and decided to enroll her son in the unit’s preschool in 2021. Similar to Nurfajriah, Vaivode said Orchard Downs resources for student parents have made a difference. “(The preschool) worked out really well because it’s really close to where we live. It’s a small community, everyone is really friendly and everyone cares about you and your family,” Vaivode said. “(Orchard Downs) is very international, which I like. I think it’s easier for us as international students to connect with other international students that can relate better to our experience.”

According to Vaivode, the Orchard Downs preschool temporarily shut down in February 2022 due to staffing shortages. Following the closure, Vaivode reenrolled her son at the Campus Cooperative Preschool in Urbana.

According to Vaivode, besides COVID-19, another challenge of being a student parent is finances.

“When it comes to childcare, the biggest issue that we had was COVID-19, but that’s temporary,” Vaivode said.

“The other one was the cost of childcare. I was not expecting it to be so expensive.”

The financial pressures of continuing education and also raising a child can be a stressor for student parents. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of raising a child is roughly $12,980 per year. For the 2022-23 school year, the estimated cost of attending the University is $36,151 per year for in-state students, $55,713 for out-of-state students and $57,656 for international students.

Numerous resources exist to provide assistance — both financial and social — for student parents. Brenda Kay Eastham, director of operations at the Child Care Resource Service associated with the College of ACES, emphasized how the CCRS’s child care assistance program strives to assist low-income student parents.

“Childcare can be one of the most expensive things at all, it’s right up there with college tuition,” Eastham said. “If a parent is going to school, they aren’t necessarily making money in other ways. The child care assistance program does look at income, so the amount a parent has to pay is based on how much they make.” mtroher2@dailyillini.com

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The DI · Wednesday, March 30, 2022

The DI · Wednesday, March 30, 2022

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Appreciate history behind Moms Weekend Long-standing tradition stems from University's early years

graphic coming!

NOAH NELSON

SENIOR COLUMNIST

REBECCA ORIZA THE DAILY ILLINI

Students share their definitions of `motherhood'

By Faith Allendorf & Cecilia Milmoe Features Editor & Assistant Features Editor

With Moms Weekend approaching, students and moms will soon be participating in events held by the University. For many students, being a mom themselves is something exciting they look forward to.

Several students interested in being mothers shared what motherhood means to them, as well as what they think are good qualities for mothers.

Audrey Cicmanec, sophomore in FAA “I know so many people in my life who are mothers (and) who have children of their own that they are so happy for, and I see how much joy it brings them. My mom is really wonderful and I hope that I can be just like her and be a good mom.

“I think that a good mom is mainly just somebody that is able to give their child everything that their child needs, but also everything that can make their child feel fulfilled.”

Anna Bogdanski, junior in Engineering “(It’s) caring for your kids and just trying to do the best for them that you can. “(They’re) Someone who is always supportive of their kids. And obviously, you want to steer them in the right direction, but you have to allow them to make their own choices as long as they’re on the right path and you’re supporting them.”

Jasmine Finley, freshman in LAS “The biggest thing about motherhood for me is to be a support system, someone you can always talk to and rely on and someone who’s going to always be there for you.

“A good mom is someone who’s always present, and who really cares about not only her children but herself with a lot of support. (They’re) someone who’s always in the picture.”

Riley Coughlan, sophomore in Media “It’s a sense of caring for a child, whether they are biological or not. I don’t think that every woman should

be forced into motherhood, but if a woman chooses to be a mother, it’s a really important thing for them. “(It’s) being supportive and understanding that not every child can be perfect. Kindness is also a big thing.”

Shaden Rafati, freshman in AHS

be there and want to be there. Also, be a best friend to your kids, but while also maintaining your motherly role of making rules and restrictions.”

Eve Rubovips, sophomore in AHS

“To be good to my kids and give them a lot of opportunities, love and care.

“Great communication and listening, like actually listening to your kids rather than being pushy or telling them what to do, or making them do what you think is best.”

“Be very caring and have good management with your schedules, because, you’ll have kids and your own schedule. Know how to care for your family and also yourself.

“Definitely be caring, probably flexible and adaptable because things can change really quickly, and managing emotions.”

Caitlin Niesman, freshman in LAS

Christina Serrano, sophomore in AHS

“Being a mother is being a role model for someone biologically or nonbiologically related to you. It is also being a representative for them and always caring for them and providing them a safe home place where they know they can count on you and tell you anything they need. It’s always being there for them.

“Mothers have to have listening skills and a whole heart and always

“Being a mother means understanding the needs of your own children, but also taking into account your own and finding that balance.

“Attentive, caring, involved in the sense that you just want to help (your kids) and help them see what’s best for them. But also, be their best friend in a way.” faithaa2@dailyillini.com

Today, the University is known for its top-notch higher education, Big Ten sports, hundreds of RSOs and most of all, one of the best venues for this stepping stone in our lives: college.

One of the more memorable and highly attended events throughout the school year is Moms Weekend, in which mothers and fathers of students visit campus to explore and spend time with their children. However, it didn’t appear out of nowhere like an overnight teen pop sensation.

Throughout the past few years, I immersed myself in all aspects of University history. Not only have I learned how modern-day campus came to be or what countless alumni have accomplished, but I’ve discovered the history of campus buildings, student activities and Illini sports.

One aspect I didn’t think to learn the history of was Moms Weekend. I knew it played a major role in University history, but it never came to mind until now. Nevertheless, like the University itself, it too has a rich history and should be appreciated across the Illinois community.

According to University Archives, the University opened in 1867 and began instruction a year later as an all-male school. At the time, women were not thought of as qualified to attend higher education. In 1870, the University Board of Trustees allowed women to attend, but they were greatly outnumbered and weren’t as highly regarded as men were.

This lasted until 1903 when the state of Illinois allocated $80,000 to build a Women’s Building on campus, known today as the English Building. In 1921, the newly created Dads Association began the tradition of Dads Day, soon followed by the first

SEBASTIAN HOLT THE DAILY ILLINI

Moms Day the next semester, exactly a century ago.

Both occasions grew into weekends respectively. Over the years, students and parents have taken part in a slew of activities.

For students and their fathers, they spend their fall weekend attending an Illinois football game, one of the first season games for Illinois basketball and similar events. For students and

their mothers, they spend their spring weekend together attending live concerts, pageants for the occasion and similar activities like stage performances and craft fairs.

Whatever you plan to do with your mother for this year’s Moms Weekend, take a moment and appreciate its background. No tradition comes without a story, and this one is just as rich as University history.

I wish you nothing but the best for your Moms Weekend. Mothers are some of the greatest people in our lives; they deserve a relaxing weekend full of campus activities, delicious Champaign food and a whole lot of orange and blue.

Noah is a senior in Media. noahen@dailyillini.com

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BUZZ

The DI · Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Mom loves live music? Take her to the Rose Bowl Several local and touring artists to perform at Urbana tavern

By Kylie Corral Assistant buzz Editor

Weekends at the University are a time where students and their families can get together on campus.

This weekend, specifically, is Moms Weekend, and the Rose Bowl Tavern has events scheduled for the entire weekend.

Charlie Harris is the general manager of events and production at the Rose Bowl Tavern, located in downtown Urbana since 1946. The Rose Bowl Tavern features two events every day, usually with a voluntary cover charge, Harris said.

Harris said even though the signage outside states, “The Home of Country Music,” the tavern is a home for all kinds of music— featuring everything from blues, soul, folk, bluegrass, country and more.

“Rose Bowl prides itself on being a welcoming and inclusive place for all people to have a drink, gather with friends and enjoy high-quality entertainment,” Harris said.

This Moms Weekend, the events at Rose Bowl are: The Tunewrangler, Chicago Farmer and the Fieldnotes, The Marvelous Wonderettes, Chain Station and Wildwood, Afro D and Global Soundwaves and Swap Meet!

Songwriter Round, featuring Bill Poss, Emily McKown, Dana Anderson and Olivia Tasch.

Harris said the staff and artists at the tavern are truly passionate and excited about presenting highquality music while also creating an inclusive space that features a diverse collection of performances and audiences.

“Whether the entire family is looking for a fun place to kick back, hang out and have a drink, or it’s just a mom and kid looking for something interesting, we can accommodate any type of night out,” Harris said.

With lots of available seating, a full beverage menu — including non-alcoholic drinks — and fun high-quality entertainment, Harris said it’s perfect for Moms Weekend.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JP GOGUEN

The Dirty Feathers lead guitarist, Andrew Kling, electrifies the crowd while the band performs at the Rose Bowl Tavern. The tavern prepares for Moms Weekend with a wide arrangement of drink options and entertainment.

Cody Diekhoff, creator and performer in the band Chicago Farmer and the Fieldnotes, is scheduled to play this weekend.

Diekhoff said he’s been a folk singer for the last 18 years, traveling around the country and going by the name Chicago Farmer. He said he decided to start a band when he was in Chicago.

“I love the camaraderie of being in a band, and I also love the environment and people dancing, having a good time being up and moving about,” Diekhoff said.

Diekhoff said he wanted to add more energy to his music and found three perfect people to do just that: bassist Charlie Harris, percussionist Cody Jenson and guitarist Jaik Willis.

He has been playing at the Rose Bowl Tavern for years. Even during the pandemic, Diekhoff said he played every Tuesday night.

“It’s kind of like new beginnings as spring and the first day of April

arrive,” Diekhoff said. “It is kind of putting the last couple years behind us and getting back to what we love to do.”

There are some challenges that come with leading a band, he said, noting the biggest challenges include having to deal with other people’s schedules and personalities.

Diekhoff said it’s tough to be the boss, but the rewards definitely surpass any challenge.

Diekhoff advised those looking to pursue a musical career to attend local open mics to network with other musicians around the area. He said making connections with other artists is a beautiful thing to do.

“Here in central Illinois, in the Midwest, we really do a good job of looking after each other,” he said. “I say get out there amongst the other musicians to become the best musician you can be.” kyliemc2@readbuzz.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF JP GOGUEN

Kangaroo Court provides entertainment for the evening at the Rose Bowl Tavern.

OPINION

The DI · Wednesday, March 30, 2022

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EDITORIAL

PHOTO COURTESY OF YURI GRIPAS/ABACA PRESS/TNS

Senator Lindsey Graham asks questions on the third day of Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on March 23.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAUL LOEB/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES/TNS

Senator Ted Cruz holds the book, ªAntiracist Babyº during the confirmation hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on March 22.

PHOTO COURTESY OF YURI GRIPAS/ABACA PRESS/TNS

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson arrives to testify on the third day of her Senate confirmation hearings to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on March 23.

Confirmation hearings politicize Supreme Court

By The Daily Illini Editorial Board Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson appeared in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 21 to start her confirmation hearings, which took place over four days. If confirmed, Jackson will be the first Black female Supreme Court Justice in U.S. history.

Jackson boasts a lengthy judicial career. After graduating cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1996, she proceeded to clerk for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer — who she is now nominated to replace — from 1999 to 2000.

Perhaps most notably, Jackson served as a federal public defender from 2005 to 2007, where she represented disadvantaged clients from all walks of the country. If confirmed, Jackson will be the first former public defender to serve on

the Supreme Court. Since 2021, Jackson has served as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Like many Supreme Court nominees before her, Jackson has faced her fair share of questioning — however, it is of a different degree than her predecessors.

Tucker Carlson, a host on Fox News, has repeatedly questioned how well Jackson — who, as previously mentioned, graduated from Harvard cum laude — scored on her LSAT. On the other hand, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, the last two appointed Supreme Court justices, were not asked to present their LSAT scores in such a public and humiliating manner.

There seems to be a recurring pattern where people of color in positions of authority are baselessly challenged on their qualifications to hold the position — one can recall former President Donald Trump’s attacks on former Presi-

dent Barack Obama’s birth certificate.

These recent confirmation hearings uphold this pattern through a blatant lack of regard for Jackson, who was questioned on issues not relevant to the hearings and were pandering to the Republican Party’s base.

On the second day of the hearings, Sen. Marsha Blackburn asked Jackson to define the word “woman,” to which Jackson aptly responded, “I’m not a biologist.” Blackburn later implied that Jackson’s lack of response proved the progressive agenda that she would carry to the Supreme Court.

Along similar lines, Sen. Ted Cruz probed Jackson on her opinions of critical race theory, which Jackson repeatedly stated did not show up in her line of work as a judge.

Gender identity and critical race theory have been prevalent subjects in national headlines recently, yet they

have little to do with Jackson’s role as a Supreme Court nominee and much to do with political agendas.

It is important to conduct discourse on whether an individual is adequately qualified to serve any position of authority, especially one as crucial to the American legal system as a Supreme Court Justice.

However, Jackson’s judicial confirmation hearings have only served to demonstrate the deep rift between the two parties and have strayed away from the original purpose — determining if Jackson is fit to serve on the Supreme Court.

This political circus can only be mended if the focus of the hearings shifts from politics to the law once again. Only then can we hope to bridge the ever-growing divide that is shaping American politics. opinions@dailyillini.com

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BUZZ

The DI · Wednesday, March 30, 2022

`A gaggle of bad a$$ lady wrasslers' Champaign Ladies Amateur Wrestling builds community for local women

By Allyson Lin Staff Writer

Champaign Ladies Amateur Wrestling, originally founded in 2015, is a performance group that uses the language of professional wrestling to tell stories.

According to their website, CLAW is “a gaggle of bad a$$ lady wrasslers, avenging the world’s wrongs and entertaining those weary of wars and floods and parking tickets.”

“While we are not fully trained professional wrestlers, we perform moves and write storylines that evoke the kind of heightened emotion that pro wrestling is so well known for,” said Alicia Buskirk, leader of the organization.

She said CLAW puts on anywhere from two to five performances a year. These shows are always accompanied by a band — most recently, Aquila. The music helps keep up the energy of the performers and the crowd, Buskirk said.

Skits are performed between matches and often establish the reason behind each match. Wrestlers practice simplified versions of real wrestling moves and perform them during matches to prioritize safety.

Buskirk joined CLAW in 2019, because she was new to town and wanted to expand her social circle. Since she was already interested in professional wrestling, the organization was the perfect match for her. She said she has been obsessed with it ever since.

“Despite our name, CLAW is open to everyone,” Buskirk said. “As a queer person, it’s important to me that any group I join be open and accepting. Even if we weren’t performing, I would still be happy just to spend time with this group of people we’ve collected over the years.”

Buskirk said she loves pro wrestling because it combines the best parts of the sport: theater and soap opera.

“You’re able to tell these larger than life stories in a simple way that resonates with people,” she said. “Also, it’s just fun to see athletes flip around and kick each other.”

Buskirk said she wants CLAW to empower anyone who joins.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER NEEDHAM

Amateur wrestler Alicia Buskirk holds her opponent in a choke during an event night. Buskirk expresses her positive insight on CLAW's ability to mix theatrics with wrestling to create entertainment.

“If we have someone that wants to write storylines,” she said, “I hope that they can get fulfillment from seeing their concept carried out. If someone wants to wrestle, I hope that they can learn how to do it in a safe way that satisfies their desire to perform.”

“We are looking for people who want to collaborate in this weird, wonderful project of ours,” she said. “We have sup-

porting roles available, but we would love to add some new wrestlers. The more performers we have, the more we can play with stories and matchups.”

Buskirk said applicants do not need any level of experience.

“To anyone who is nervous about a lack of experience, I say come on out and give it a try,” she said. “We always try to work within someone’s comfort level. We start

with basic moves and then build on those.

There’s also a lot of room for character work.”

“No one cares how well you can do an atomic elbow as long as you’re entertaining,” she said.

CLAW will continue to recruit new members throughout the spring. cmm@readbuzz.com

SPORTS

The DI · Wednesday, March 30, 2022

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WOMEN'S TENNIS

Frazier creates `safe team environment'

By James Kim Assistant Sports Editor

With the conclusion of nonconference play and the first weekend of Big Ten play done, Illinois women’s tennis is looking to achieve more than it did last year. A key piece to accomplishing this? Junior Josie Frazier, who emerged as a leader and standout player for the Illini this season is a key piece to accomplishing this.

The 2021–22 season has brought back a lot of what the pandemic-plagued 2020–21 season took away. Frazier is pleased with how this spring has gone so far, especially with the previous year still fresh in mind.

“Overall, it’s been so much fun,” Frazier said. “It’s been better than last season just because of (COVID-19) and everything. We’ve gotten to travel and compete in nonconference play which has been awesome for the team.

It’s been a different dynamic since we have three freshmen, so it’s been nice starting off on a new foot.”

Frazier is also no stranger to competing for the orange and blue and has created a supportive atmosphere for her younger teammates as they begin their journeys at Illinois.

“I think the biggest thing is creating a safe team environment,” Frazier said. “Where it doesn’t matter if you’re an upperclassman or an underclassman, you have a voice on this team. That’s a big thing that we try to harp on at team meetings and everything like that, making sure everyone feels heard. It’s something we’ve definitely tried to foster as upperclassmen to set an example.”

If there’s one thing Illinois has no shortage of, it’s team chemistry. Frazier and fellow juniors Ashley Yeah and Emily Casati have all been teammates for three years. Frazier and Yeah specifically enjoyed their first year playing together as doubles partners on Illinois’ Court 2.

“We’re roommates, so we’re definitely very close,” said Frazier. “It’s been awesome playing with Ashley.

We definitely have a really good mutual respect for each other, and we’re very comfortable around each other.

We actually played a little bit in Juniors before college when we both found out we were going to Illinois, so it’s kind of funny that now after all this time we’re playing together again.”

SIDNEY MALONE THE DAILY ILLINI

Junior Josie Frazier waits as her doubles partner, junior Ashley Yeah, serves the ball during their match against Missouri on Feb. 13.

Frazier was also full of praise for the Illini freshmen Megan Heuser, Kida Ferrari and Kasia Treiber, all of whom brought “a lot of energy to the team” this season. The junior was excited by the younger players’ arrival, as they’ve “helped create a new dynamic” for the Illini. The close-knit bond Frazier’s helped to build for the Illini translated into triumphs on the court for the team.

The Illini have been a force to reckon with in Urbana, enjoying the majority of their success on home courts.

The team is an impressive 7-1 playing at home this season. While Sunday’s loss to Wisconsin ended what was a seven-game undefeated home streak, nothing takes away from the remarkable run Illinois achieved in which Frazier played a vital role.

“We love playing at home,” Frazier said. “We love our facility and our courts. It’s awesome playing at

Atkins. It’s definitely a lot different when we go to other places. They have big crowds sometimes, and that can make a difference.”

The Illini will be looking to keep the wins coming in as they continue to compete for the Big Ten title, with the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Championships also looming on the horizon. It will likely be a nerve-racking stretch for this young team, and this is an area where Frazier is prepared to step up for the Illini.

“Dealing with the nerves that come with college tennis is an advantage that the upperclassmen have since we’ve all been there,” Frazier said. “We’ve all been there in tight moments. We’ve all been the last matchup when it comes to deciding the match. That can be really stressful and it’s something we have under our belts as juniors.”

Josie Frazier and the rest of the Illinois women’s tennis team will be

back in action Friday as they prepare to take on Maryland at home. With a win against Minnesota and a recent loss to Wisconsin in conference play, Illinois is looking to bounce back into the win column to regain momentum in the standings. With a lot of Big Ten matches coming up, Frazier had no problems naming the schools she cannot wait to battle once again.

“I would have to say Northwestern,” Frazier said. “We beat them last year on senior day at home when they were No. 7 in the country. That was probably our biggest win last year, and I want to defend Illinois this year and beat them again. I’m also looking forward to playing Michigan. In my time here we’ve never beaten them and we’re definitely hungry for that win. Both of those I’m super, super excited for.” @james_kim15 jamessk4@dailyillini.com

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The DI · Wednesday, March 30, 2022

THE DAILY ILLINI PRESENTS

Housing Fair 2022

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