2 The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022
In March, freshman guard Skyy Clark decommitted from Kentucky and committed to Illinois within a month. At the time, Clark was still recovering from a partial ACL tear he suffered in JulyJust2021.over a year since Clark’s inju ry, Underwood confirmed that Clark is now fully cleared for practice after being limited for much of Illinois’ sum mer“Skyyworkouts.iscleared — he is 100%,” Underwood said. “Really a significant summer for him in terms of his growth and the mental piece … he had his best workout of the year yesterday.” For many, the road to recovery does not end here, as being told one is medi cally cleared and being back to one’s former self are two completely dif ferent things. The nagging worry of potentially being re-injured holds many back. As Clark works to get back some hesitancy is expected from him to per form the explosive actions he was once knownHowever,for. Underwood described a completely different tale, detailing how quickly Clark returned to form since being“Peoplecleared.think with an ACL it’s just running and jumping,” Underwood said. “It’s actually stopping and turning and pivoting and those things where you come off a ball screen and you got ta pivot on one foot, turn and shoot a jump shot, and boy we saw him pop up yesterday and shoot two … it was the Skyy I saw two years ago.”
Perrin performs for France While the rest of Illinois’ roster spent their summers in the Midwest, fresh man forward Zacharie Perrin was in Turkey, representing France at the FIBA U18 European Championships. Perrin and his country went unde feated in the group stage, winning each game by an average of over 40 points before falling to Slovenia in the quarterfinals.Individually, Perrin led France in points per game (13.9) and rebounds per game (9.1), while also showing flashes of playmaking that are uncom mon among players of his size.
All statements from Underwood are extremely encouraging for Clark’s abil ity to impact the team. A full recov ery was an excellent starting point, but doing so with a work ethic that man aged to impress trainers is an outstand ing sign for Clark’s development and recovery.
Defense as a priority Since Underwood was made head coach of Illinois in 2017, defense has been a clear focus for the Illini. In four of the five seasons Underwood has been head coach, the Illini have been top three in the Big Ten at turn overs forced per game, a feat Illinois had not accomplished since the 2011–2012Underwoodseason.
“It’s pretty fun, and it’s pretty good to watch,” Underwood said. “You see a guy that is doing it on the highest stage. That event is filled with pros and future NBA prospects. You’re seeing him do it in an ultra competitive environment. Some of the games in the pool play have been blowouts, but it’s still the best in the world.”
Despite the natural indecisiveness of freshmen, Underwood said he was impressed with the work the freshmen put in this summer.
spoke about the impor tance of defense during this summer’s workouts, mentioning how vital it is to get freshmen to communicate.
“This is a willing group on the defen sive side,” Underwood said. “Sencire (Harris), Ty Rodgers and Jayden Epps — those guys take great pride in what they do on that side of things. I take a lot of comfort knowing those guys are willing to work on that end.”
cblount3@dailyillini.com
Conditioning & li ing
The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022 3
Summer workouts emphasize conditioning, defense
By Conor Blount Staff Writer
Last week, Illinois men’s basket ball took its first break in eight weeks as the NCAA entered its mandatory dead period. Head coach Brad Under wood spoke about Illinois’ summer, highlighting an impressive work eth ic from the group as a whole along with substantial strides on individual lev els. Underwood had confidence while detailing the growth his roster expe rienced this offseason.
“RJ was 210 the other day which is the first time he’s hit that mark,” Underwood said. “A lot of credit goes to Fletch and Palmer for their job not just in the weight room but on the nutrition side to get RJ from 180 pounds when he got here to 210 now.”
THE DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO
Another key focus for the Illini this summer centered around giving the freshmen a taste of what collegiate con ditioning is all about, while simulta neously getting the veterans back in shape. Underwood noted that during Clark’s limited clearance, the biggest thing he missed out on was the condi tioning that everyone else was doing.
“The hardest part on the defensive side is getting guys to communicate,” Underwood said. “You know, we have a saying, ‘Quiet teams lose.’ Freshmen are indecisive in what to say, so the communication piece of it is helping them understand what to say.”
Returning from injury
Underwood also mentioned that red shirt sophomore forward Dain Dainja, a mid-season transfer from Baylor, has been putting in a lot of work to increase his“Westamina.saw Dain Dainja under 260 (pounds),” Underwood said. “Dain’s had a terrific summer … he’s built his stamina, he’s been running stadium steps every morning, he’s been putting himself in position to be in elite shape when the season starts, and it’s a lot of hard work to do that.”
Underwood cites much of Clark’s quick mental recovery to his willing ness to work hard, stating that Clark’s work ethic has impressed several mem bers of Illinois’ trainers and coaching staff.“He worked extremely hard,” Under wood said. “Talking with Paul Schmidt and Fletch, they were extremely impressed with his work ethic, his ded ication to getting that back and 100% healthy. I think that gives him tremen dous confidence on the mental side.”
On top of conditioning, this summer has also been about putting on muscle mass. According to Underwood several players have reached significant weight milestones during workouts. Howev er, none were impressive as sopho more forward RJ Melendez’s 30-pound weight increase.
Sophomore guard RJ Melendez goes for the lay up during the Big Ten tournament game against Indiana on March 11.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
“He was able to do individual stuff … so he hasn’t missed a ton, he’s missed the conditioning piece of the continual running and now that he’s cleared for that he’s done a good amount the last two days.”
The Daily Illini is the independent student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The is by the Illini Co. The University
THE DAILY ILLINI 1001 S. Wright Street Champaign, IL 61820 (217) 337-8300
newspaper
newspaper
published
Daily Illini does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the
How to contact us The Daily Illini is located in the base ment of the University YMCA at 1001 S. Wright St., Champaign, IL 61820. Our office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. General phone numbers Front Desk: (217) 337-8300 Advertising: (217) 337-8382 Newsroom: (217) 337-8345 Production: (217) 337-8320 Newsroom contacts Online: If you have a question about dailyillini.com or The Daily Illini’s social media outlets, please email our editor at online@dailyillini.com. Employment: If you would like to work for the newspaper’s editorial depart ment, please fill out our online form or email employment@dailyillini.com. Calendar: If you want to submit events for publication in print and online, visit dailyillini.com. Letters to the editor: Letters are limited to 300 words. Contributions must include the author’s name, address and phone number. University students must in clude their year in school and college. Corrections When we make a mistake, we will correct it in this place. We strive for accuracy, so if you see an error, please contact Editor-in-Chief Heather Robinson at (217) 337-8365 or email editor@dailyillini.com. Facebook The Daily Illini
Media
of Illinois administration, faculty or students. All Illini Media Co. and/or The Daily Illini articles, photos and graphics are the property of Illini Media and may not be reproduced or published without written permission from the publisher. Twitter @DI_Sports@TheDailyIllini Website dailyillini.com Instagram @TheDailyIllini THEDI THEDI 4 The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022
@DrewFriberg9 friberg3@dailyillini.com
Sophomore transfer Burbage steps into opposite role
Big Ten volleyball tops the preseason American Volleyball Coaches Associ ation rankings yet again, boasting a national high seven teams ranked in the top 25 heading into the 2022 season.
“We have a really special group of girls here, and I think everyone thrives when they’re in a healthy environment.”
Burbage took her Mizzou team by storm in her freshman year, playing in 24 of the team’s 28 matches. She led her team in blocks with 87 total and ranked third in kills with 211.
“I think she’s a little bit of an unknown for people right off the bat,” Tamas said. “That’s exciting.”
By Drew Friberg Sports Editor
The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022 5
Tamas was impressed greatly by Burbage’s play at Mizzou, she played the majority of her sets at middle blocker, a position the Illini have filled with seniors Kennedy Col lins, Kyla Swanson and Rylee Hin ton. Tamas instead intends to make Burbage an opposite in the wake of Cooney’s departure. When looking for a replacement, Tamas liked what he saw from Burbage and decided to look no further. “We had a need for the position, and we were looking for someone who could come in and fulfill a for mer All-American’s role, or at least attempt to,” Tamas said. “It’s not going to happen overnight. I knew that she was big and physical, had a nice arm, she played a lot of middle in her last stop, but we were looking for specifically an opposite.”
Megan Cooney (15) cuts the net a er a match against Wisconsin in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament at Huff Hall in 2018.
Burbage’s freshman season was impressive, and caught the eye of Tamas for a second time, as he missed out on recruiting her in 2020. The second time around, Tamas knew he couldn’t miss this opportunity.
WOMEN’S
Reigning national champion Wiscon sin sits at third, while Nebraska polls as the No. 1 team in the nation. Among these two are fellow Big Ten members, No. 5 Minnesota, No. 7 Ohio State, No. 13 Purdue, No. 17 Illinois and No. 20 PennWhileState.a lot is known about the majority of the Big Ten’s lineups, the Illini go into this season as a wild card. With All-American opposite Megan Cooney using her last year of eligibility in 2021, the Illini star can no longer compete in 2022, leav ing a huge hole in the lineup going into the Fillingseason.thegap left by someone like Cooney is no easy feat, but head coach Chris Tamas may have found a direct replacement in sophomore transfer Kayla Burbage.
DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO
Tamas jumps at chance to recruit Mizzou star, fill gap le by Cooney
With a big season ahead and large shoes to fill, Burbage isn’t at all fazed by the expectations. Being put into uncomfortable situations is some thing she said makes herself and the team better overall. “(My teammates) are really push ing me to be uncomfortable and make changes, which will help me in the long run,” Burbage said. “We have a really special group of girls here and I think everybody thrives when they’re in a healthy environment, and I think everyone is willing to be uncomfortable to make everyone elseWithbetter.”alot of question marks sur rounding Burbage and the Illini’s future as a real contender in the nation’s premier volleyball confer ence, only time will tell if Burbage as an opposite is a good move this season. Tamas remains confident in his new signing’s abilities and is using that as an advantage over opposition.Withnoscouting report on Bur bage as an opposite, she is a wild card for teams ahead of the season.
VOLLEYBALL
Kayla Burbage, sophomore transfer
“I just saw a lot of good things on film, and we had some knowledge of her beforehand,” Tamas said. “In the previous recruiting cycle, we had talked to her, so she ended up being a good Althoughfit.”
6 The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022
@JonathanAlday7 jalday2@dailyillini.com
When she was offered the position some time after, Kempe claimed “It was the easiest ‘yes’ I’ve ever been able to Sincesay.” taking the reins she has focused on building relationships and establishing a coaching staff that can take advantage of the unique location and history Illinois has.
PHOTO COURTESY OF @ILLINISWIMDIVE TWITTER
“I was ready to leave the Midwest,” Kempe said. “I was at a point in my ath letic career where I had two options: I could go to a smaller program that didn’t have the same goals or go to an elite program knowing that I can be a huge contributor to that program.”
She did more than just contribute, she helped lead the Bruins to high team and individual placements at Pac-10 championships, eventually becom ing the co-captain by her senior year. After UCLA, she attended NAU to get a master’s in educational psychology and human relations. She also worked as a graduate assistant in the athlet ics department, aiming to become the role model she had relied on through undergrad.“WhenIwas done at UCLA, I couldn’t get out of (Los Angeles) fast enough,” Kempe said. “My learning specialists were huge mentors to me throughout college, I found value in those positions. My intention was never to coach.” She was given a club coaching job at NAU to make income while as a stu dent, and while she wasn’t enjoying her experience as an academic advi sor, she fell in love with coaching and the opportunities she had to lead in thatWithposition.theincreased interest, she found herself going to the NAU head swimming and diving coach Andy Johns. Johns would teach her how to coach, how to strategize and give her opportunities to learn.
When former head coach Sue Novitsky announced her retirement, she left a new challenge for Athlet ic Director Josh Whitman: How does one replace a leader of 22 years? Since 2000, the Illinois swim & dive team has maintained consistent forward progress.However, much like other recent leadership changes within Illini Ath letics, Whitman has gone out to find new visionaries that match his goal for the image and competitiveness of the athletic programs.
When the call went out to apply for Illinois, Kempe said she was com pelled to apply for the position. Since her move to the West Coast, Kempe found herself going to places that felt more like the Midwest. Even once she had started coaching, she always won dered if she could get a shot of leading the program at a school she grew up supporting.Onceshe got an interview for the position, she opened up to Whitman and showed her plam for building the program into a Big Ten competitor.
“I knew I wanted to bring Kyle (Pat node) with me the whole time,” Kempe said. “He’s young, he’s energetic, and he knows the Big Ten.”
By Jonathan Alday Assistant Sports Editor
His solution for swim & dive is new head coach Jeana Fuccillo Kempe, a Lebanon, Ill. native with experience coaching at South Carolina, Auburn, LSU and NAU. Kempe’s journey start ed in her senior year, finishing her storied high school career as a fivetime State Champion, an All-Ameri can, three-time junior champion and competitive international athlete with TeamWithUSA.so many accomplishments, accolades and potential as a swimmer, she had a variety of choices for which team to compete with. Looking for a change of scenery, she chose UCLA for its rising success on the national level.
“I’ve always loved Illinois,” Kem pe said. “I told Josh (Whitman) in my interview, ‘I know I have all the tools. They’re sharpened and they’re ready to go; I just haven’t been able to use them.’ I don’t just want to go anywhere.”
“It takes a couple of really brave leaders to come and build something,” Kempe said. “You can’t hide from the hard work that you have to put in to be a successful student athlete.”
With a vision and grit built in the Pac-10 and SEC, the rebuilt ceiling for the program to attract and cultivate elite athletes will create dividends as the program continues recruiting and developing the revitalized brand and mentality.“Thereason I’m sitting in this posi tion is because of the relationships I’ve built,” Kempe said. “I’ve always want ed to make an everlasting stamp on a program. I’m honored to be able to do that here.”
“There’s just a different expectation of the athletes (in the SEC),” Kempe said. “Elite athletes just want to be sur rounded by elite athletes. It’s easy to have those recruiting connections now that I’ve been in California, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama and South Caro lina while having my Midwest roots.”
Patnode was a fellow assistant coach at South Carolina who grew up in Oak Park, Ill. He attended the University of Iowa, became a team captain and earned the Jim Marshall Award, given to a male senior who immensely con tributed to Iowa Athletics. After gradu ating he coached at Oakland University before moving to Ohio State, where he helped the team win the Big Ten Cham pionship in 2020. The state of Illinois is nationally known for producing high-level swim mers who go on to become national champions and Olympians. However, Illinois hasn’t been able to take advan tage of Muchthat.likemany programs at Illinois, setting up a recruiting border around the state is crucial for revitalizing a program which hasn’t seen much suc cess at the Big Ten level.
The 2022 swim & dive team pose for a photo in April with new coach Jeana Fuccillo Kempe (front row, fourth from le ).
New coach Kempe returns to Midwest roots
A er stints around country, Illinois native takes over for retiring Novitsky
SWIM & DIVE
“I don’t think I’d be where I am if I didn’t have Andy Johns as my head coach,” Kempe said. “The experience was invaluable, all around.” After NAU, she continued to pursue coaching opportunities, leading to an assistant coaching position and even tually an associate head coaching posi tion at LSU. After six years, she took another assistant position at Auburn before a one-year stint at the Univer sity of South Carolina. After so many years leading high-level athletes and being a high-level athlete, she under stands the qualities and routines nec essary to cultivate a competitive team.
The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022 7
A bowl is the goal
The Big Ten schedule is brutal, but if the defense can return to form with an improved offense, there is certain ly the potential for improvement in a program that lost four games by just a single score in 2021. Bielema has expressed his satisfac tion with the team’s connection early on and has emphasized it all offseason. “Once you have that created, that’s when something special can happen.” @bfader7 bfader2@dailyillini.com
SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI
Illinois football head coach Bret Bielema observes the team from the sidelines during the Homecoming game against Wisconsin on Oct 9.
Expectations rising for Bielema’s second season
Football fans got their first look at the 2022 Illinois team during the Spring Orange and Blue game on April 21 at Memorial Stadium.
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Daniel Edwards pulls in a pass during warm ups before the Spring Game on April 21.
SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI
“The thing that I feel about this team is that they understand what we’re say ing and why we’re saying it,” Bielema said. “They are doing an incredible job of pushing each other.”
Early indications at practice show the Illini will have more diversity in their game plan this year with new offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., which junior star running back Chase Brown said he is already enjoying.
“We are going to be more balanced,” Brown said. “We are going to get the ball to the perimeter and in our play maker’s hands like Isaiah (Williams) and Casey (Washington) … it’s going to take the load off the run game but also open up the run game more when people can’t just load the box on us.”
wide receiver Isaiah Williams is back to lead the receiving core for the second year in a row and is poised to become the clear number one option. He has been working tirelessly in the offseason, with the hopes of lead ing his team to a bowl game this year. “I’m still focused on getting bet ter day by day,” Williams said. “Mon day through Saturday, we wake up at 6 (a.m.), get started at 6:30 and catch 250 balls at least on the jug machine.”
Redshirt sophomore Pat Bryant and incoming freshman Shawn Miller have also impressed during camp and will need to be relied on if the offense can match its full potential. New faces make or break the success of teams around the country, and it will be no different in Champaign. For a team with great desire to take another step forward in a program rebuild this year, new faces must perform.
Junior Casey Washington has had a limited role in his first three years with the offense but “has really made a leap” during the offseason, accord ing to Bielema, and will be expected to step into a consistent starting role.
The DI Wednesday, August 24, 2022 98 The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Senior quarterback Tommy DeVito hands off the ball to junior running back Chase Brown during the Spring Orange and Blue Game on April 21 at Memorial Stadium.
SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI
DeVito struggled to stay on the field with injuries after a solid sophomore season but will offer Lunney Jr. a bet ter arm to work with than the Illini put on the field in 2021.
By Ben Fader Staff Writer As the fall sports season approach es, Illinois fans will soon discover if their football program can match the increasing pace of play and competi tion that is the new standard in the conference.TheIllini will officially enter year two of the Bret Bielema regime, with the program having only one bowl appearance since 2014 and being with out a winning record since 2011. The team’s 5-7 record in Bielema’s first year as head coach found the Illini just one game short of a postseason bowl berth, but with a bright future to look forward to. Ranked wins at Penn State and Minnesota highlighted the positives from the season, but more growth will be needed for the Illini to compete in one of the toughest confer ences in the country. Although the team, especially the defense, showed flashes of brilliance in 2021, it has a long way to go to match the fast-growing reputation of Brad Underwood’s men’s basketball team, which has emerged as a powerhouse program in the Big Ten. The Illini need to develop an offense capable of consistently putting points on the scoreboard, a trait of all good teams that have eluded them recently.
The skills positions are loaded with returning talent, as sophomore run ning back Josh McCray returns with Brown in a stellar backfield. Sopho more Reggie Love and freshman Aidan Laughery will provide solid depth asSophomorewell.
Improved hands from receivers will benefit the group in the fall, but Wil liams is still eager to improve even more.“Better catching, setting my routes up better and making contested catch es,” Williams said. “Every single week, I want to get better at that, and I want to get better at learning the offense.”
Lunney Jr. is coming off a confer ence championship offense with UTSA in 2021, including a win over the Illini. Now, Lunney has the opportunity to work with more talent and depth, giv ing reason to expect offensive improve ment. A more diverse play call will certainly keep opposing defenses on their toes more this year, but the Illini also need more playmakers to step up in big Fifth-yearmoments.senior quarterback Tom my DeVito is the likely starter after transferring from Syracuse in the spring, giving the Illini more veteran experience leading the offense.
THE DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO
FOOTBALL
Illinois fans should also expect to see the continued development of defen sive players under Bielema and defen sive coordinator Ryan Walters. The defense was the highlight of last year’s team, and although they lost five starters, they can be just as effective this season. Bielema has noticed that the players understand their individual roles much better this summer.
10 The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022 WRITE. DESIGN. BROADCAST. SELL. CREATE. MANAGE. INSPIRE. Are you interested in getting valuable experience in a fun and professional setting? Come to one of Illini Media’s FALL 2022 RECRUITMENT NIGHTS Tuesday & Wednesday, Aug. 30 & 31 100 Gregory Hall • 7 p.m. Follow us on social media for more info Illio Yearbook at theofUniversityIllinois WPGU-FM 107.1 radioCommercialstation The Daily Illini Independentstudentnewspaper WRITE. DESIGN. BROADCAST. SELL. CREATE. MANAGE. INSPIRE. Are you interested in getting valuable experience in a fun and professional setting? Come to one of Illini Media’s FALL 2021 RECRUITMENT NIGHTS Wednesday & Thursday, Sept. 1 & 2 Gregory Hall, Room 112 • 7 p.m. Follow us on social media for more info. Illio Yearbook at theofUniversityIllinois Technograph engineeringQuarterlymagazine Buzz entertainmentOnlinemagazine WPGU-FM 107.1 radioCommercialstation Daily Illini Independentstudentnewspaper
Nervous play is something that won’t consistently win tennis matches. The success Treiber found in year one will only compound with more confidence and aggression. “I was working on having a more aggressive game style,” Treiber said. “That’s basically the thing I am work ing on going into this year too, not just this summer, so that was probably the biggest thing for me.”
9/15 9/20 10/2 10/6 10/16 10/27 11/11 RAGS AND FALLNIGHTRAINRICHESTHROUGHAPRIL w/HAZEN TAKING BACK EMO PRESENTS: MYSPACE EMO PROM MAC HEREAUTOGRAFSATURNCOMETHE MUMMIES LISTEN TO WPGU TO FIND OUT HOW TO WIN FREE TICKETS! 2022FALL
“In preseason and the fall I had opportunities to clinch and I’ve been in that situation before … so I definite ly was a little bit used to that pressure and that feeling,” Treiber said. “But every time you’re in that situation, I think no matter if I am a freshman or a senior, it’s going to be nerve-racking … Just knowing how to win and hav ing a mentality that’s strong enough to know that I am good enough to win is the most important thing for me. I think it’s only going to get better and easier for me as years go on.”
The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022 11 WOMEN’S TENNIS
CONOR BLOUNT THE DAILY ILLINI Sophomore Kasia Treiber helped the women’s tennis team notch its first winning record since 2019 last season.
By Conor Blount Staff Writer Illinois women’s tennis garnered a phenomenal 2021 freshman class, landing in-state five-star recruits Kasia Treiber and Megan Heuser, as well as four-star recruit Kida Ferrari. Each contributed greatly to Illinois’ success during the 2021–2022 season, where the team enjoyed its first winning record sinceDespite2018–2019.thesuccess, Illinois was not selected for the NCAA tournament, as Northwestern was ultimately given a spot ahead of Illinois. Since the Illini didn’t participate in the national tournament, the high est stakes of their season were in the Big Ten tournament. Despite the loss in the second round to Wisconsin, a lot can be learned from Illinois’ firstround match, where they defeated IowaIllinois4-3. claimed the doubles point along with winning the first two singles points to earn a 3-0 lead before Iowa won three consecutive singles, placing all eyes on the final court. Although falling behind early, Treiber managed to climb back and clinch the match for Illinois, marking her seventh winning point of the season. Ahead of her sophomore year, Treiber spoke on her mentality in moments of intense pressure like what she faced against Iowa.
Sophomore Treiber works on ‘more aggresive game style’
“I am definitely a little less nervous as I was freshman year… I was a little overwhelmed with not knowing what to expect,” Treiber said. “Now, I’m pret ty confident with my ability, what I am expected to do and what our schedule is going to look like.”
Being able to overcome the pres sure of intense scenarios like clinch ing games as a freshman is an impres sive piece of Treiber’s game, and she seems primed for a leap next season as she is even more confident going into year two.
As Treiber and the rest of Illinois women’s tennis look forward to next season, they are doing so with an extra edge of confidence, coming off their best season in years. With the experi ence gained in Treiber’s first year as an Illini, she will be one of the big rea sons for the program’s continued suc cess moving forward. cblount3@dailyillini.com
12 The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022 OFFICIAL YEARBOOK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS SINCE 1894illio yearbook SEPTEMBER 20 - OCTOBER 9 Senior Pictures ATTENTION UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CLASS OF 2023 SENIORS! DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE! Portraits are from the waist up, so dress accordingly. We provide the cap and gown! Schedule your appointment at illioyearbook.com dailyillini.com and get headline news sent straight to your email! SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTEROUR ILLDAILTHEYINI INTERNS WANTED WPGU107.1FM
LOGAN HODSON THE DAILY ILLINI Senior middle blocker Kennedy Collins prepares to serve the ball during the match against Purdue on Nov 6.
The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022 13 WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Illinois opens season with Ole Miss Invitational
Order your yearbook online at illioyearbook.com or call 217-337-8314 (Price includes domestic shipping; International shipping $50 extra) YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE SO MANY GREAT MEMORIES FROM YOUR TIME AT COLLEGE. HOLD ON TO THEM FOREVER WITH THE OFFICIAL U OF I YEARBOOK. 95$ Get in on our EARLY BIRD PRICE of if you ORDER BY AUGUST 31ST Price increases on Sept. 1st
In addition to the exciting and young talent added to this year’s roster, the Illini also have some key returners fromJunior2021.outside hitter Raina Terry garnered preseason All-Conference honors in early August after a cam paign that saw her lead the Illini in kills with a total of 441. Additionally, vet eran leadership from redshirt senior setter Diana Brown and senior middle blocker Kennedy Collins will help the Illini in tough matches. Georgia Tech are coming off a 26-6 2021 season, where it finished in the elite eight of the NCAA tournament after losing 3-1 to No. 1 seed Louis ville. The Yellowjackets’ main threat comes from two-time All-American senior outside hitter Julia Bergmann. Bergmann’s impressive 2021 included 29 matches where she put up doubledigit kills and eight matches with 20+ kills. If the Illini want to upset Geor gia Tech, neutralizing Bergmann will need to be a priority. Ole Miss enters the season unranked, but is still a threat to any team in the country. All-SEC junior middle block er Sasha Ratliff is one of the Rebels’ key returners — after a season tallying 266 kills, the second most on the team. In a season of change for Illinois, this first weekend will be a big test. Illinois’ matches begin at the Ole Miss Invitational on Saturday, with its match against No. 9 Georgia Tech at 3 p.m. Afterwards, it will continue with its match against Ole Miss at 1 p.m. on Sunday. @DrewFriberg9 friberg3@dailyillini.com
By Drew Friberg Sports Editor
On Saturday, No. 17 Illinois volley ball kicks off the season with its open ing match in the Ole Miss Invitational against No. 9 Georgia Tech, before a second match of the weekend against tournament hosts Ole Miss on Sunday. This match comes just 19 days after head coach Chris Tamas was able to lead his team for the first time this fall. After a long hands-off summer, Tamas said he is ready for the team’s opening weekend.“Allcoaches wait for this,” Tamas said. “You’re waiting all summer to see what your team does, or what they have done over the summer in prepa ration for the season. It’s a short turn around from our first practice to our firstCominggame.”into the season, the Illini remain ranked in the top 25 by the American Volleyball Coaches Associ ation after finishing the regular season ranked 23rd in 2021. Hoping to contin ue climbing in conference and national rankings, Tamas bolstered his lineup with four new recruits in the offsea son after losing All-American oppo site Megan Cooney, defensive specialist Taylor Kuper and setter Kylie Bruder lastTamasseason.said he is extremely impressed with what he has seen from his new players so far on the court, but is also happy with the team culture ahead of an incredibly tough season schedule.“Ithink they are doing great,” Tamas said. “You’ve got a handful of fresh men and a transfer, and I think this year more than any they’ve been well integrated into the team. I think that goes hats off to the leadership on this team and the returners as well. It’s a good team vibe right now.”
14 The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022 HOUSINGGUIDE THE DAILY ILLINIALL NEW! Your #1 resource for housing Champaign-Urbanain Find your next home at HOUSING.DAILYILLINI.COM Sign up for our newsletter dailyillini.com/sportsnewsletterat ARE YOU AN SPORTSILLINIFAN? STREAMINGANYTIME.ANYWHERE,ILLINOISONNOWTHEAPP!
By James Kim Assistant Sports Editor Illinois soccer kicked off the 2022 season Thursday night at home against Illinois State. In front of a packed Demirjian Park, the Illini put on a show, particularly in the second half, in what ended up being a narrow vic tory over in-state rival Redbirds.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DELLA PERRONE/ILLINOIS ATHLETICS
The DI · Wednesday, August 24, 2022 15 WOMEN’S SOCCER
Junior goalkeeper Julia Cili signals to teammates during the game against Illinois State University on Thursday. The Illini won against the Red Birds 1-0.
“You just want to start in a way that the energy can build,” head coach Janet Rayfield said. “So certainly getting a win tonight starts that snowball of energy that we want to keep going for the rest of the season.”
Illinois, now 2-0 to start this season after a 4-0 result against Toledo, head into Thursday’s match vs. Butler still reeling from Demirjian Park’s energy lost“I’mThursday.solucky and blessed to be able to play here,” Prell said. “Being a senior, this was my senior opening night game so this will definitely be something I won’t forget. Illini fans always come out and show support so it’s amazing.”
@james_kim15 jamessk4@dailyillini.com
Redshirt junior forward Ashley Prell celebrates with team a er she scored the game winning goal against Illinois State on Thursday.
The first half was the more tightly contested of the two, with the Redbirds able to match the Illini evenly when it came to offensive opportunities. While Illinois managed to enjoy possession of the ball for longer stretches, Illinois State remained dangerous, particular ly on the counter-attack. The Redbird forwards managed to get put through after successful through balls split the Illini backline, but sharp goalkeeping from junior goalkeeper Julia Cili kept the score level. On the other end of the pitch, the Illi ni frontline was also forcing top saves out of the Redbird defense. Throughout the night, the Illinois wingers dazzled defenders with fancy footwork, but the deliveries into the box weren’t being put in the back of the net.
ANGEL SALDIVAR THE DAILY ILLINI
Prell’s first collegiate goal clinches victory in season opener
The second half saw the Illini return from the break with a fire unseen in the first half. In the 55th minute, miscom munication between the Illinois State backline saw the ball fall to junior for ward Julia Eichenbaum, who hit the post after a first-time attempt on goal. 15 minutes later, Eichenbaum sent a driven ball into the Redbird box toward junior forward Makala Woods, who nearly converted from short range but missed wide of the goal.
The atmosphere at Demirjian Park on Thursday night was something spe cial, and it caught the attention of the players and coach Rayfield. The stands were packed and the fans cheered to the pounding of the drums throughout the evening. With strong support push ing the Illini on, a goal always seemed to be just around the corner through out the “(Thematch.atmosphere) was fantastic,” Rayfield said. “You get sort of focused on the game, and I don’t know at what moment I looked up and the stands were completely full and the students were beating the drums. This is what you dream about when you think about when Demirjian Park was an idea, to have an environment like this for our teams to play in, so I was really excited to see that come to fruition tonight.”
The chances kept coming as Illinois desperately searched for the tiebreak er. In the 74th minute, sophomore mid fielder Maddie Mariani curled a long ranged attempt past the Illinois State keeper only to hit the post. Two min utes later, senior midfielder Eileen Murphy also had her header denied from close range. The Redbirds had fully parked the bus and frantically repelled attack after attack by the Illini in the final stretch of the match. In the 81st minute, senior defender Aleah Treiterer found herself on the receiving end of a loose ball across the Illinois State box. Tre iterer fired a first time attempt only to have it blocked off the line. In the 83rd minute, every Illini fan was given a scare as a Redbirds coun ter-attack resulted in a shot that beat Cili, only to hit the crossbar. With a packed house, pounding of the drums and fans screaming for a goal, it was all up to the Illini to find the winner with under 10 minutes to play. They did just that. In the 85th minute of the match, redshirt junior forward Ashley Prell pulled out the heroics and clinched the victory as Demirjian Park erupted. The ball fell to Prell at the top of the box, who after a quick cut sent the ball up and over the Redbird goalkeeper and into the far corner. The dramatic late winner, which was also Prell’s first collegiate goal for the Illini, capped off what was a lively and joyous night for the team. “Wow, I mean (scoring the winning goal) is pretty indescribable,” Prell said. “I’m so glad we got to put it away. We came out of halftime and we just said, ‘We need to keep working, we need to keep working.’ We had a lot of chances, so we didn’t give up, and it was a team effort of full confidence and belief that if we just kept going, we were going to get one.”
16 The DI 2029 South Neil Street, Champaign IL | 217.355.7878 Cofe Bar THE MEZZANINE GREAT STUDY SPOT fre wi-fi!Delicatesen Easy Lunch & Dinners! Seafod & Meat Department We’ll cook for you while you shop FOR FREE! WEEKLY MEAL KITS THE MEZZANINE BAR local bers o tap! new recipes every wek!A healthy, quick way to prepare your own meal! KIT INCLUDES: - RECIPE - ALL INGREDIENTS - PLUS, A STEP BY STEP VIDEO TUTORIAL! ALL FROM OUR IN-HOUSE DIETITAIN Emily Dupuis MS, RDN, LDN
