The DI: Spring Sports Edition: January 2024

JANUARY

2024

THE SPORTS

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SPRING

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THE DAILY ILLINI

1001 S. Wright St. Champaign, IL 61820 || (217) 337-8300 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.

Editor’s note SPORTS EDITOR

JAMES KIM

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.

How to contact us The Daily Illini is located in the basement 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.

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The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

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I

f there’s one way to become immersed in Illini culture, it’s through the sports experience. Illinois is a member of the Big Ten Conference and currently has a total of 19 Division I teams that compete across the men’s and women’s levels. No matter what game you attend, you’re sure to find yourself surrounded by a sea of orange.

Welcome to the Spring Sports Edition, which consists of writing from across our sports staff here at The Daily Illini.

Whether you’re a diehard sports fan or have never seen a tennis ball

Spring Sports Edition

before, this edition is your perfect guide to keeping up with Illinois athletics. While some teams are already halfway through the season, other teams are preparing to kick off theirs.

The Illini brand has been known to boast some of the most competitive programs in the country. As a result, the incredibly high standards set at Illinois have crafted one of the most energetic and passionate fanbases in collegiate sports. It has gotten to the point where following Illini sports has become more than just a hobby for students — it’s a lifestyle.

Have you been following our Fighting Illini men’s basketball team this season? Check out its 14-4 record and more on page 6.

After that, swing on over to page 13, “Coach Tyra Perry eyes improvement after 12th-place finish in 2023,”

to read all about our softball team and how Perry plans to take it to greatness.

Next, learn more about our successful women’s tennis program ahead of its official season that will see the return of an All-American duo on page 20, “New faces, seasoned veterans: 2024 Illinois women’s tennis season preview.”

Catch up on our men’s golf team over on page 31 as it prepares for a fourth-straight Big Ten title defense in 2024.

Don’t forget to flip over to page 34 to read all about Illini gymnastics.

Supporting athletics, whether on the court or the field, not only serves as a great stress reliever, but will undoubtedly instill in you a lifelong sense of pride to be an Illini.

ON THE

OLIVIA MCAFOOS THE DAILY ILLINI

Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief: Lika Lezhava editor@dailyillini.com

Managing Editor for Reporting: Lisa Chasanov reporting@dailyillini.com

Managing Editor for Visuals: Jacob Slabosz visuals@dailyillini.com

Managing Editor for Online: Rohit Chatterjee online@dailyillini.com

News Editor: Ella Narag

Photo Editor: James Hoeck

news@dailyillini.com

photo@dailyillini.com

Features Editor: Lillie Salas

Graphics Editor: Amy Sanchez

features@dailyillini.com

graphics@dailyillini.com

buzz Editor: Maaike Niekerk

Design Editor: Sophia Kim

buzz@dailyillini.com

design@dailyillini.com

Opinions Editor: Raphael Ranola

Copy Chief: Haley Jin

opinions@dailyillini.com

copy@dailyillini.com

Sports Editor: James Kim

Social Media Director: Lauren Jenkins

sports@dailyillini.com

social@dailyillini.com

COVER

Illinois men’s basketball celebrates after winning the Braggin’ Rights game against Missouri on Dec. 22 in St. Louis. The final score of the game was 97-73. Illinois’ 97 points was the highest scored in Braggin’ Rights since 1993 when Missouri had a triple-overtime win.

IN THIS

ISSUE

DESIGNERS

VOLUME 153 ISSUE 6

Jacob Slabosz Sophia Kim

In the spring sports edition of The DI, Daily Illini sports staff gives the details on all things Illinois sports and athletics. While some teams, like men’s and women’s basketball, have been underway for multiple months, others have yet to get started.

From season previews to player and coach profiles, the spring sports edition is your one-stop-shop current Illini athletics.

06 MEN’S BASKETBALL 08 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 12 SOFTBALL 16 MEN’S TENNIS

27

Illinois hockey enters second half of 2023-24 season with clean slate

20 WOMEN’S TENNIS 24 SWIM & DIVE 26 HOCKEY 28 BASEBALL

25

30 MEN’S GOLF 32 WOMEN’S GOLF

35

34 MEN’S GYMNASTICS

Illinois men’s gymnastics aims for new heights in upcoming season

36 WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

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38 PUZZLES The DI || January 2024

3

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The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

Learn more

The DI || January 2024

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MEN’S

PRINTED JAN. 24, 2024

BASKETBALL UPCOMING

OLIVIA MCAFOOS THE DAILY ILLINI

Sophomore guard Ty Rodgers scoops the ball down low to remain in possession against Maryland on Jan 14.

SCHEDULE 1/24 @ Northwestern 1/27 vs. Indiana 1/30 @ Ohio State 2/4 vs. Nebraska 2/10 @ Michigan State 2/13 vs. Michigan 2/17 @ Maryland 2/21 @ Penn State 2/24 vs. Iowa

2/28 vs. Minnesota 3/2 @ Wisconsin 3/5 vs. Purdue 3/10 @ Iowa

All eyes on March SPORTS EDITOR

JAMES KIM jamessk4@dailyillini.com

E

very year, the college basketball season comes down to the same goal.

It’s all about winning the last game of the season.

The Illini have not been strangers to winning titles. With a Big Ten tournament title in 2021 and a Big Ten regular season title in 2022, Illinois has asserted itself as one of the elite programs in the conference. However, after multiple early exits from the NCAA tournament in recent years, the 2023-24 Illini are looking to get over the hump in March that has plagued the program’s postseason success.

“I think we should all be setting an expectation,” said head coach Brad Underwood in October. “And that is a standard.

I say this all the time, our standard is winning — trying to win — the national championship.”

Coming into the season, Illinois boasted

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The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

a plethora of experience and depth, highlighted by the return of fifth-year guard Terrence Shannon Jr. and senior forward Coleman Hawkins from the 2022-23 squad.

“We knew we had to get older,” Underwood said in October. “That was one of the things that … was very loud to us in terms of our team. Last year, we were the second youngest team in Power Five and we had a great year. We had some very talented guys, Matthew being one who had a tremendous season for us. But we had to get older, and we did that with the addition of three grad transfers.”

With the additions of transfer graduate student forwards Marcus Domask and Quincy Guerrier as well as guard Justin Harmon, Champaign was bubbling with excitement as the time came for the team to take the floor at the State Farm Center.

The Illini wasted no time in showing they meant business with a 51-point exhibition win over Ottawa followed by a statement victory over No. 1 Kansas in the Maui Strong Relief Matchup.

The official start to the 2023-24 season saw Eastern Illinois and Oakland fall to Illinois in front of the rowdy Orange Krush in Champaign before the Illini stumbled on the road against No. 4 Marquette. The loss appeared to spark something within Underwood’s squad, however, as Illinois hit a hot streak, going on to win its next five games.

The remarkable run was topped off with a trip to the illustrious Madison Square Garden, where Illinois found itself lining up against No. 11 Florida Atlantic.

With all eyes on the Jimmy V Classic, the team turned in a 98-89 upset win to make one thing very clear: This Illini squad is no joke.

Illinois has continued rolling with Big Ten play now underway, leading to high hopes for a significant postseason run. After the temporary suspension of Shannon from the program in late December, the Illini did not falter. Domask, Hawkins and Guerrier stepped up as the Illini went 4-2 in the Chicago native’s absence.

ROSTER # NAME

POS. GR.

0 Terrence Shannon Jr. 1 Sencire Harris 2 Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn 3 Marcus Domask 4 Justin Harmon 5 AJ Redd 10 Luke Goode 11 Niccolo Moretti 13 Quincy Guerrier 20 Ty Rodgers 22 Keaton Kutcher 25 Max Williams 33 Coleman Hawkins 35 Amani Hansberry 42 Dain Dainja

G G G G/F G G G/F G G/F G/F G G G F F/C

5th So. Fr. Gr. Gr. So. Jr. R-Fr. Gr. So. Jr. Sr. Sr. Fr. R-Jr.

Head Coach: Brad Underwood Assistant Coaches: Geoff Alexander, Tim Anderson, Chester Frazier, Zach Hamer, Tyler Underwood

Illini men’s basketball strives for it all in 2024 Naturally, there are still question marks when it comes to how Illinois will fare once the regular season comes to a close. With the way the regular season has gone up to this point, there are certainly reasons for optimism. The Illini have consistently appeared in the AP Top 25 poll, with the program ranked as high as No. 9 this year.

With the recent return of Shannon from suspension on Jan. 19, Illinois regained a crucial piece of its squad.

Still, nothing is guaranteed, especially in the NCAA tournament.

“March is unique,” Underwood said.

“You can’t play bad — you can’t have a bad day. You can’t have an off day.”

The Illini have a competitive conference schedule awaiting them for the remainder of the regular season. As fans gear up for an action-packed ride to the rest of 2023-24 in Champaign, the Illini continue to strive to reach their full potential as the postseason looms on the horizon. @james_kim15

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The impact of No. 14 Illinois men’s Ty Rodgers basketball’s starters in 2023-24 those numbers.

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

CONOR BLOUNT cblount3@dailyillini.com

T

hrough 18 games, No. 14 Illinois men’s basketball is standing proud with a record of 14-4. Three of the Illini’s losses came at the hands of AP Top 25 teams, with the only outlier being unranked Maryland. The starters have been asked to elevate all season long but especially in the six games since fifth-year guard Terrence Shannon Jr. was suspended.

Terrence Shannon Jr. In the 11 games before his December suspension, Illinois ran through Shannon.

The Chicago native has since returned for one game where he was one of five Illini in double digits (16). His 21.3 points per game still leads all Illini, and it was done so on 50.7% from the field and 38.2% from dis-

tance.

Marcus Domask As a walking argument for the transfer portal’s existence, Domask has been excellent for Illinois. His season averages sit at 14.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, but standout nights have raised his status even further. In Illinois’ biggest win of the season, Domask notched a career-high 33 points over No. 11 Florida Atlantic. Domask has also been able to leverage his scoring prowess as a playmaker and execute on passes out of double teams.

His career-high 11 assists against Fairleigh Dickinson came during a five-game stretch where Domask had five or more assists.

Quincy Guerrier Guerrier is another testament to the transfer portal. His season began with some rough shooting, but that skill has begun to ramp up in recent weeks. After mak-

ing just one of his first 18 attempts from outside, Guerrier has completely flipped into making 18 of his last 43 (41.9%). The former Oregon Duck’s 5-8 night from three against Missouri gave Illinois fans a taste of that ability. Guerrier has also excelled as a rebounder compared to past seasons, picking up six double-doubles as a result.

Coleman Hawkins Similar to Guerrier, Hawkins had a bit of a rough start to the season but has been excellent ever since returning from an injury that sidelined him for three games.

The defense is on another level for the California native. His awareness on that end allows him to notch monster performances such as a four-block- and two-steal night against Michigan State at will. Hawkins’ most complete game was an excellent 21 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and six steals at Michigan and was just the fifth time since 2010-11 that anyone has reached

Defense has been Rodgers’ bread and butter so far. It’s immediately apparent how hard he tries on that end, and he has even added more offensive aggression to his game as well. Rodgers attempted a career-high 13 shots against Michigan en route to a career-high 15 points. His hesitancy to shoot has caused issues at times, but his budding aggression is the best remedy.

Luke Goode Since being asked to fill in for Shannon, Goode has played 30.3 minutes per game. Compared to averaging 20 minutes in 2023-24 before that point and his career 14.7 average, his role has dramatically increased in a short period of time. Curiously, he has cooled off from a distance while becoming a bit more effective inside the arc.

As a reserve player, Goode made just two shots from inside in 11 games — compared to seven in seven games as a starter. On the flip side, Goode’s 40.2% overall mark from three is actually being weighed down by being 11-33 as a starter (33.3%).

The bench’s impact for No. 14 Illi- Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn nois men’s basketball in 2023-24 ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

CONOR BLOUNT cblount3@dailyillini.com

H

ead coach Brad Underwood has run a tight ship in 2023-24. The nights where No. 14 Illinois men’s basketball goes more than seven or eight players deep are few and far between, and ones where two reserve players get significant minutes even less common. Illinois has a matchup-driven approach this season: Everyone has their role, and that could mean anywhere from 20 minutes to zero minutes on any given night.

Justin Harmon One of Illinois’ three graduate transfers, Harmon has turned into Illinois’ most consistent reserve player. He’s averaged 24 minutes per game over Illinois’ last six

MEN’S BASKETBALL

games and reached double digits in four of them. Back-to-back season-high performances against Fairleigh Dickinson (18) and Northwestern (20) are only surpassed by his team-high 40.9% mark from distance.

Dain Dainja Dainja’s role has effectively been halved in 2023-24. He sees just 10.2 minutes on the floor compared to 20.6 last season. He is still one of just six Illini who have played in all 18 games and has been effective on offense while out there. A 68.9% mark from the field is the highest by any Illini who has attempted more than 10 shots and 19 points in 16 minutes against Fairleigh Dickinson, showing how useful his skillset can be.

Luke Goode

Goode has been a starter since the suspension of fifth-year guard Terrence Shannon Jr. but spent 11 games as a reserve to start the year. He completely excelled as a shooter while in that role, knocking down a blistering 44.4% of his attempts from deep.

His 7.5 points per game off of the bench was a career-high and has risen to 7.7 during his time as a starter. Besides shooting, Goode’s active on the glass and reels in 4.3 rebounds per game — the sixth-best in this area on the team.

Niccolo Moretti Moretti has only played in four games due to a foot injury against Southern but looked solid as a ball handler while on the floor. His skill as a facilitating guard is easy to spot during his minutes and should continue to see his role grow as he works back to form.

Game one was a bang for GibbsLawhorn, who set his career-high at 18 points in his collegiate debut. Since that point, Gibbs-Lawhorn has not seen much of the floor. Illinois’ schedule ramping up has likely contributed to Gibbs-Lawhorn’s four DNPs and seven games with less than 10 minutes. It’s been difficult for GibbsLawhorn to find a groove this season, but his scoring prowess will one day be an excellent addition to the Illini.

Amani Hansberry Much like Moretti, Hansberry has missed time due to injury. Hansberry was lauded by Underwood in the early season as being a guy who never needed a play to be run for him, and that anecdote has some real weight to it. Through 10 games of limited action off the bench, Hansberry has excelled as a rebounder and a scorer by being in the right place at the right time. @blountco21

The DI || January 2024

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WOMEN’S

PRINTED JAN. 24, 2024

BASKETBALL OLIVIA MCAFOOS THE DAILY ILLINI

The Illini women’s basketball team and its staff gather in a team huddle before the second half of a game against Truman on Oct. 30.

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The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

UPCOMING

SCHEDULE 1/25 vs. Ohio State 1/28 vs. Minnesota 1/31 @ Michigan 2/5 @ Purdue 2/8 vs. Northwestern 2/11 vs. Maryland 2/15 @ Penn State 2/19 vs. Indiana 2/25 @ Iowa 2/29 @ Michigan State 3/3 vs. Nebraska

ROSTER # NAME

POS. GR.

0 Camille Jackson 1 Genesis Bryant 2 Cori Allen 3 Makira Cook 4 Kam’ren Rhodes 5 Gretchen Dolan 11 Jada Peebles 21 Aicha Ndour 22 Shay Bollin 23 Brynn Shoup-Hill 24 Adalia McKenzie 33 Samantha Dewey 41 Camille Hobby 44 Kendall Bostic

G G G G G G G C F F G F C F

So. Sr. Fr. Sr. So. Fr. 5th Sr. So. Jr. Jr. So. 5th Sr.

Head Coach: Shauna Green Assoc. Head Coach: Calamity McEntire Assistant Coaches: Britney Anderson, DeAntoine Beasley, Emily Durr, Jenna Giacone

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Illinois women’s basketball looks for positives amid 8-9 start STAFF WRITER

JACOBY BANKS-HULL THE DAILY ILLINI

MATHIAS SPITZER spitzer7@dailyillini.com

Freshman guard Cori Allen congratulates sophomore forward Shay Bollin in a game against St. Peters on Nov. 11.

A

fter taking down a lowly Rutgers team on Jan. 17 and picking up its second Big Ten win of the season, Illinois was finally able to move back to .500. Despite their tough nonconference schedule and struggles in late December and early January, the Illini are struggling to meet the lofty expectations set in the preseason.

Head coach Shauna Green is in her second year at Illinois after being hired away from Dayton by Josh Whitman, director of athletics at Illinois. This start to the 2023-24 season has been a little tough on Green, considering her winning track record, but the coach hasn’t lost sight of her program’s progress since she was hired.

“I’m not going to lie, it’s been extremely challenging,” Green said. “That was part of when I took this job. We were taking over — to be honest — one of the worst programs in the country in terms of wins and for how long. So we knew there were going to be challenges … I really thought those would happen last year.”

Illinois currently sits at 8-9 on the season and 2-5 in Big Ten play — almost the exact definition of middleof-the-road within the conference. The Illini have almost exclusively lost to teams consistently ranked higher than them and only beat teams consistently ranked lower than them. This record places the Illini at No. 50 in the nation in the NET rankings, suggesting they’re closer to being a fringe tournament team than other power five schools — despite having three, four, five or even nine fewer wins. Illinois has no reason to hang its head quite yet, as its tournament hopes are still alive and well.

The Illini are led in their scoring charge this year by senior guard Genesis Bryant, who stands at 14.9 points per

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

RECORD

8 9 WINS

LOSSES

game. This comes as a surprise to many, considering the preseason expectations placed on fellow senior guard Makira Cook, who follows Bryant at 13.8 points per game. After missing the first three games of the season due to an injury, Cook has been slowly ramping up her play to what was expected of her during the offseason.

The Illini have proven to be resilient even when Cook isn’t at her best. With big scoring contributions from senior forward Kendall Bostic, junior guard Adalia McKenzie and fifth-year center Camille Hobby, the team has persevered. Cook and Bryant have generally split the playmaking duties, as they both average between three and four assists per game. Bostic has far and away led the team on the glass, gather-

ing 8.9 rebounds and also anchoring the team on defense with her 1.7 steals and blocks per game.

At times, the bench lineup has been a source of concern against high major competition. When mixed in with the starting lineup at points, however, they have been able to shine. Fifth-year guard Jada Peebles gave the Illini a lot of good minutes — especially in the absence of Cook — before her season-ending injury in the Northeastern game.

Now Illinois will look primarily to junior forward Brynn Shoup-Hill and freshman guard Gretchen Dolan, who have both played very well in their roles as of late. Relief appearances from sophomore forward Shay Bollin and sophomore guard Kam’Ren Rhodes have been spotty in terms of success,

but both have shown the capability and drive to step into these bigger roles when necessary.

Looking forward to the rest of the season, Green doesn’t think the Illini are out of the game quite yet. According to Green, there is still reason to believe this Illinois team has something special.

“There’s frustrations sometimes,” Green said. “But we have got to continue to teach and hold them accountable and have tough conversations and be honest with them. At the end of the day, I know this group and what they’re capable of doing because we have been through it, so I have to remain positive.” @spitzanity The DI || January 2024

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Making a difference for the program: Shauna Green’s time at Illinois so far STAFF WRITER

TESS EKEN teken2@dailyillini.com

I

t has been almost two years since Shauna Green was named head coach of Illinois women’s basketball — and her impact has shifted the program completely. Green and the Illini finished their 2022-23 season with a 22-10 record, going 11-7 in the Big Ten. Though the team has experienced some highs and lows with Green, there’s still plenty of room for development and continuous momentum.

Before her start at Illinois, Green was the leader at the University of Dayton with a winning record of 127-50 during her six seasons there. Anticipations were high for her arrival at Illinois. Having someone with such strong expertise and success in the Illini program brought fans and players lots of excitement and new opportunities.

After the success of her first season with the Illini, conversations continued

about where this program would go.

One massive steal for the Illini was senior guard Makira Cook, who played two seasons under Green before her transfer in 2022. Going into the 2023-24 season, Green had immense hope in her team, and even on rougher days, she continued to uplift the women and all their strengths.

“Really love this group,” Green said in September. “Obviously, we’re experienced. We returned our whole starting five and then really added some key pieces. As you guys know, we needed more depth …we’re a lot further along than what we were this time last year.”

Experience is something Green takes pride in. The team has many veterans, and they always highlight the assistance from Green to be a key part of their triumphs.

“Coach Green pushes me every day,” said junior guard Adalia McKenzie after a match against Central Connecticut State.

“She literally has changed my life and

has changed my perspective on basketball and life outside of basketball — just going hard every day and never giving up. I believe in myself so much because of how much she believes in me, so I really appreciate her.”

The players make an effort to give Green her flowers. Having a leader who can enhance confidence in her players and push them to be the best they can be is incredibly valuable to a program like this.

Going into this season, there was slightly more pressure on Green’s shoulders given the fact that Illinois managed to make it in the rankings of the AP Top 25 preseason poll for the first time since 2000. Despite the prospects for a challenging season, she noted that their focus is on the things they can control, including learning from their mistakes and accomplishments.

“The challenge has been, ‘Okay, what did you do last year?,’ and we gotta do more,” Green said in a preseason press

conference. “There has to be something more or you’re just going to continue to get the same results, and our kids have really taken that. I see them in the gym nonstop, they’re doing extra. … Yeah, we’ve had some success and more success than this program’s had in a long time, but we have a lot more goals and our vision is even higher than last year, so we just gotta stay hungry.”

Having just one solid season is not going to cut it for Green. She wants consistency and for her players to keep driving for more wins and bigger plays. She’s noted the importance of improving the team’s defensive game, especially against bigger and more competitive teams.

With their particular style of play, the women are encouraged to keep taking shots and drive to the hoop aggressively.

Playing fast and playing tough is what will bring them success, and Green is determined to continue building upon a winning culture to cultivate the best basketball program possible.

JACOBY BANKS-HULL THE DAILY ILLINI

Head coach Shauna Green coaches from the side of the court as Illinois goes up against St. Peters on Nov. 15.

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The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

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ROSTER

PRINTED JAN. 24, 2024

SOFTBALL UPCOMING

SCHEDULE

ANGEL SALDIVAR THE DAILY ILLINI

Graduate outfielder Kelly Ryono sprints to home during the third inning on Mar. 24

2/9 - 2/11 Tiger Invitational 2/16 - 2/18 Spring Games 2/23 - 2/25 Mary Nutter Classic 3/1 - 3/3 Purple and Gold Chall.

3/13 Braggin’ Rights 3/15 - 3/17 Cardinal Classic 3/19 @ Illinois State 3/22 - 3/24 @ Nebraska 3/26 vs. Northern Iowa 3/27 vs. SIUE 3/29-3/31 vs. Minnesota 4/3 vs. Indiana State

4/5 - 4/7 @ Maryland 4/10 vs. Northwestern 4/12 - 4/14 vs. Purdue 4/17 @ Northwestern 4/19 - 4/21 @ Michigan State 4/23 @ DePaul 4/26 - 4/28 @ Ohio State 5/3 - 5/5 vs. Iowa

# NAME

POS. GR.

00 Zoe Caryl 1 Reese Hunkins 4 Gabrielle Debevec 5 Adisyn Caryl 6 Juliana Hooker 9 Alaina Miller 11 Tori McQueen 12 Abby Ryniec 14 Kelly Ryono 16 Ella Cady 19 Eileen Donahue 21 Delaney Mosley 22 Briana Bower 23 Sydney Malott 24 Stevie Meade 26 Paige Berkmeyer 30 Lauren Wiles 31 Megan Ward 33 Yazzy Avila 40 Zoie Howard 45 Serena Starks

Util.

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OF OF Inf. Util.

P Inf. OF Util.

P Inf. Util.

Util.

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R-So. So. So. Fr. So. So. Sr. Sr. Gr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. R-So. Jr. Gr.

Head Coach: Tyra Perry Assistant Coaches: Laura Trout, Kirsten Verdun, Sydney Sickels, Rachel Houck

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The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

SOFTBALL

Illinois softball anticipates start of 2024 season ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

BEN FADER bfader2@dailyillini.com

S

ome people search for blooming flowers and birds chirping to discover if spring is around the corner, but in Champaign, it’s a lot simpler than that. When you hear the sweet sound of balls hitting bats and smacking gloves at Eichelberger Field, the Illinois faithful can spread the word: It’s spring sports season.

Illinois softball will soon return for its 24th season and head coach Tyra Perry’s ninth at the helm. The Illini have qualified for the NCAA tournament four out of seven times under Perry — no tournament in 2020 — and look to return to the national stage after a disappointing 2023. A 16-7 start looked promising heading into the Braggin’ Rights series against

Missouri, but Illinois struggled to piece wins together from then on, finishing 2927 and 12th in the Big Ten. With last season in the rearview mirror, the Illini slide into 2024 with some new faces after 11 players left or graduated. There were some key departures going into this season, with the Illini offense losing 42% of their at-bats, 42% of their hits, 32% of their home runs and 37% of their RBI. The pitching staff took an even more significant hit, losing 59% of innings pitched and 64% of strikeouts. It’s a lot to make up, but senior captain Megan Ward likes the roster.

“We graduated a lot last year, so we’re going to have a lot of openings,” she said.

“Our team works so hard ... I think we’re capable of a lot of great things, and I think we can compete for a Big Ten championship.”

The Illini added five freshmen and two

transfers for the upcoming season who got a chance to prove themselves in the fall. With eight scrimmages and the Orange and Blue series, everyone received plenty of opportunities throughout the slate — and three stood out.

Freshman pitcher Mallory Sluder performed well in the scrimmages, getting some early collegiate action. Another freshman, infielder Eileen Donahue, showcased a loud bat, especially in the Orange and Blue Series. Finally, graduate student Serena Starks capped off the solid first impressions for the Illini as the Princeton transfer displayed why she won the 2023 Ivy League Player of the Year.

While the Illini lost a lot of production, some firepower is still returning — starting with their 2023 statistical leader in practically every offensive category. Senior outfielder Kelly Ryono led the Illini in batting average, OPS, runs, hits, home

Coach Tyra Perry eyes improvement after 12th-place finish in 2023 STAFF WRITER

ERIC BREWER edb5@dailyillini.com

H

eading into the 2024 softball campaign, head coach Tyra Perry is eager to see her team improve after last year’s 29-27 record.

Perry is currently entering her ninth year as the head coach of the softball program. Perry is working toward improvement after a disappointing 2023 season that saw IIlinois finish No. 12 in the standings. This comes after the 2022 season, where the Illini finished No. 3 in the standings.

Coach Perry has accrued a 243-166 record over her eight seasons at Illinois and feels confident she can have success for this upcoming year.

“We are not happy with last year and

SOFTBALL

how we ended,” Perry said. “We’ve adopted the theory and culture of toughness and we are working on what that means to us.”

According to Perry, she emphasizes a positive mindset in her conversations with the team.

“We have been having poignant conversations about what it means to the coaching staff compared to the players,” Perry explained. “We have been trying to eliminate what we call ‘loser talk.’”

As the team prepares for the upcoming season, it will look to eliminate the negativity that comes with having a less-thanstellar season. For a team that finished in third place two years ago, this has been a mental test.

The team gets an early test entering the Auburn tournament taking place from Feb. 9-11. The tournament includes Auburn, Virginia Tech and Belmont.

Perry had three straight 30-plus win seasons leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Illini finished with an 11-11 record at the time of the 2020 season’s cancellation.

“Our current captain is Megan Ward,” Perry said. “She was a captain last year for the first time and I think it gives her a great perspective going into this season. She transferred in, so she has a different perspective from different programs.”

Senior infielder Megan Ward will be a focal point in the leadership role and will be called upon to help drive the team going into the year. Ward had a batting average of .286 last year while also batting in two home runs on the year.

Ward transferred into the program after her freshman year and stayed a year at Dayton, where she was A10 Second-Team All-Conference. She started all 56 games at

runs, RBI, slugging, walks and stolen bases. She has hit .320 or higher in consecutive seasons and will likely lead the way once again.

Ryono isn’t alone, with Ward joining her as another productive veteran back in the lineup. Ward regressed statistically in 2023 but believes she can return to her previous form offensively. To solidify herself as one of the best hitters on the team, the senior has been focused on her mechanics.

“Making sure I’m aware of my body positions and body control,” Ward said.

“That way I can be able to hit all different types of pitches.” @benfader7

Read the rest of the story Continue reading this story and many others online by scanning the QR code or vising dailyillini.com

the shortstop position in 2023 and had 44 hits and 21 runs scored.

“We also have Stevie Meade, a newly elected captain,” Perry said. “She is a tough kid, doesn’t talk a whole lot, but she will speak up when she needs to. You can tell the team respects her.”

Junior outfielder Stevie Meade is entering into the captain role this year after she started all 56 games as a sophomore.

Meade was No. 2 on the team with multihit games, hitting 15 last season. She was also tied on the team for triples last year, having three to finish off the 2023 campaign.

As the team prepares to head into the 2024 season, it is eager to have a bounceback year and finish in the top half of the Big Ten. According to Perry, she wants to see this motivation in the team during the upcoming campaign.

“We are trying to speak more on the affirmative and having accountability,” Perry said. “There will be days where you just don’t feel like being tough, but that’s where your teammates come in and coaches come in to encourage you to persevere and press on anyway.”

The DI || January 2024

13

Kelly Ryono embarks on one last ride with Illinois softball ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

BEN FADER bfader2@dailyillini.com

I

llinois softball received great news this offseason when Kelly Ryono decided to return to play one more year. Getting the outfielder back in Champaign as a graduate student is a big boost for the Illini as Ryono leads them on and off the field.

Ryono’s love for the game comes from her father, who grew up on baseball. He started his kids young, putting Ryono and her twin sister Megan into T-ball. Ryono was scared to play at first and showed up in tears on the first day. However, her dad wouldn’t take no for an answer, and the future Illini took off from there.

Both Ryono sisters played together in Huntington Beach, California for the first 18 years of their lives. The two didn’t just play softball, trying their hands at basketball, volleyball and track together, growing up as an inseparable duo. While Ryono enjoyed this relationship in high school, she acknowledged that when the sisters began looking at colleges, they wanted to pursue their own identities and

grow individually.

“We never really wanted to go to college together,” she said. “It’s so cool. Now, when we come back home together, I have my own stories to tell, and she has her own stories to tell. I’d say our relationship has grown exponentially stronger when we both went away for school.”

Neither girl cared much about distance for school, as Kelly was the closest of the twins to their home, about 40 miles south of Los Angeles. Megan wound up in New York and played softball at Columbia University for four years.

For Ryono, Illinois was always home.

Her love began during recruitment and she remembers her connection with Head Coach Tyra Perry as a high schooler. Ryono said one of her favorite pre-college memories was calling head coach Perry during a tournament in Colorado, informing her that one of her top recruits would be playing on ESPN3. Her connection with Perry and the University lasted all four years, making the decision to return one of the easiest Ryono has ever made.

“I have great softball, an amazing institution, amazing coaches and great

ERIC CHIANG THE DAILY ILLINI

Outfielder Kelly Ryono raises her bat above her head during a night facing off against Parkland on Sept. 28.

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The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

friends,” Ryono said. “There was literally no reason for me to leave, and I couldn’t be more happy with my decision.”

Splitting time between right field and designated hitter, Ryono has improved statistically in each of her four years thus far. If she stays true to that theme, the Illini will have quite the slugger on their hands in 2024. Ryono finished 16th in the Big Ten last season with a .352 AVG while tied for fifth with 48 RBI. Still, a quality bat is not all Ryono brings to the table.

“Doing well in school has always kind of been drilled into me,” she said. “Academics was really big for my parents, and then as I got older, it became something that was really important to me too … We’re studentathletes, not athlete-students.”

Ryono mentions education as one of the factors that brought her to Champaign.

After consecutive seasons earning AllAcademic Big Ten, she appreciates the recognition but understands people noticing her hard work is far from her most important goal.

“It’s just a plus,” Ryono said. “I’m getting my degree from one of the best institutions in the world, so that’s the real thing I’m striving for.”

The right fielder was also named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar in 2023 — one of 10 female athletes to receive the award.

The scholars are student-athletes of color with a GPA of at least 3.5 who make a difference in their communities. Ryono is a force in the classroom, but last season, her work in Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, elevated her above others.

The Big Ten conference launched the Big Life Series in 2022, hosting a conference of athletes yearning to learn about the Civil Rights Movement. Ryono went down with coach Perry, football’s Tarique Barnes and women’s track and field’s Madison Hardamon to attend the conference and visit many historic landmarks.

“I’m just so grateful that I got to see and experience something so impactful,” she said. “Having a Black female as my head coach, knowing it was something that was so important to her. Especially since we got

to go and experience it together.”

Ryono learned a lot during her time in Alabama. In between visiting museums and talks from local speakers, she made connections with other athletes, leading to friendships over social media and at Big Ten events.

“For us to experience something so powerful together and then grow through the experience together was so fun,” Ryono said. “I’m very blessed that I got the opportunity to go, especially since I’ll be able to go back when we play Auburn this year.”

Ryono prides herself on being outgoing, even when it’s uncomfortable. As the longest-tenured player on the Illini softball team, the graduate student is now focused on utilizing her off-the-field leadership on the diamond.

The fifth-year plans to go out on a high note, surrounded by everyone she loves, especially her dad. He introduced her to the sport, and she repeatedly mentioned how he had been with her every step of the way.

“He always tells me he regrets not trying to play baseball in college,” she said. “I feel like I get to give him his own college experience … He has become an Illinois super fan.”

They will get one final ride together in what is likely the final softball season of her career. Ryono knows her parents are the reason she got here today — from starting her in T-ball and enforcing grades so many years ago to now visiting and letting her know they care.

They are even a part of her pre-game traditions, Ryono said. “My dad always texts me some kind of inspiration before every single game, so I’m always waiting for it.”

At least 55 more texts will hit Ryono’s phone before games this year — and hopefully more than that as the Illini look to advance in the Big Ten tournament and return to the NCAA tournament. No matter what happens, though, Ryono said she wants people to know her for the person she was during her time in Champaign.

“I just really hope people remember that everything I did, I did with intent,” she said. “I did it with kindness and thoughtfulness, and that hopefully, I pushed everyone around me to be a better version of themselves.” @benfader7

SOFTBALL

Student Affairs UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

The DI || January 2024

15

MEN’S

ROSTER

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PRINTED JAN. 24, 2024

TENNIS THE DAILY ILLINI PHOTO FILE

Senior Hunter Heck gives his all on Feb. 10 as he faces Central Florida.

1/26 - 1/27

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vs. Duke vs. North Carolina 2/16 - 2/19 ITA nationals indoor 3/1 vs. Baylor 3/2 vs. TCU 3/6 vs. Ohio State 3/9 @ Notre Dame 3/14 Oral Roberts 3/14 Tulsa 3/16 @ Oklahoma State 3/22 @ Penn State 3/24 @ Ohio State 3/30 vs. Michigan Sate 3/31 vs. Michigan 4/5 @ Nebraska 4/7 @ Wisconsin 4/13 vs. Northwestern 4/19 vs. Purdue 4/21 vs. Indiana 4/25 - 4/28 Big Ten tournament

NAME

HT.

GR.

Tyler Bowers Mathis Debru Gabrielius Guzauskas Hunter Heck Lucas Horve Kenta Miyoshi William Mroz Oliver Okonkwo Karlis Ozolins Alex Petrov Jeremy Zhang

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The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

MEN’S TENNIS

Illinois men’s tennis anticipates season of success in 2024 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

NAMAN GOYAL ng52@dailyillini.com

W

ith another promising season around the corner, all eyes are on Illinois men’s tennis, which prepares for an exciting and challenging season ahead. With high expectations and a talented roster, the Illini are all set to kick off 2024.

The team’s newcomer, freshman Jeremy Zhang, has displayed flashes of excellence with the team already. Originally from Sydney, Australia, Zhang has quickly adapted to Big Ten tennis and will be a key player to look out for during his first season. Throughout the fall tournaments, he showcased a strong competitive spirit and contributed big victories, including one at the Bobby Bayliss Invitational at Notre Dame.

The Big Ten Player of the Week, junior Karlis Ozolins, put on a show at the Gamecock Kickoff. He won his singles matches in straight sets, handily defeating Georgia’s Thomas Paulsell. This performance is nothing new for Ozolins, who, paired with senior Hunter Heck, has reached a career-high doubles ranking of 23.

The 2023 All-American Heck has one last shot to lead his team to the Big Ten tournament. Alongside Ozolins, the power duo went far last season with an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA doubles championship. As a freshman, Illinois won the 2020-21 Big Ten tournament and it is now Heck’s turn to return the favor.

Seniors Oliver Okonkwo and Lucas Horve enter their sixth and final years. Okonkwo spent his previous

MEN’S TENNIS

time at Iowa and is originally from the United Kingdom, with this year being his first competing at Illinois.

On the other hand, Horve is from Forsythe, Illinois, and has been with the program since freshman year. He aims to display the Illini tradition and instill it within the underclassmen of the roster. As the oldest players on the team, their experience on and off the court should give this hungry Illinois team the push it needs to place high in the Big Ten. Last season, Illinois had a difficult time against Ohio State — against both the recruits and a depth-filled roster.

The Illini want to prove they are an elite team that can compete against the other great programs in the conference. The matches against rivals such as Michigan and Ohio State will display the grit of the squad.

Head coach Brad Dancer recently hired assistant coach Zeke Clark heading into the 2023-24 season. Clark, a former player, was the 16th Illini to win 100 singles matches in a prolific career at Illinois for five years. After graduating, he was in the top 500 in the world for singles and the top 250 for doubles.

With his experience coming from success within the program, he undoubtedly serves as a qualified mentor to guide the current players to victory this season.

The loyal tennis fans are looking forward to the kickoff of another season.

The Atkins Tennis Center is ready to host the fans and players’ electric energy. With the mix of newcomers and veterans, the Illini are ready to show their worth and make history this season.

THE DAILY ILLINI PHOTO FILE

Junior Karlis Ozolins takes on the University of Central Florida at home on Feb. 10.

The DI || January 2024

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Experienced Miyoshi prepares to lead Illinois tennis in 2024

ERIC CHIANG THE DAILY ILLINI

Kenta Miyoshi plays against Michael Minasyan in a tennis singles match on April 14.

STAFF WRITER

RACHEL OH rfoh2@dailyillini.com

I

n the midst of his second spring season with Illinois men’s tennis, sophomore Kenta Miyoshi has already secured many impressive accomplishments. Most recently, Miyoshi won the Milwaukee Tennis Classic’s singles draw in September. The 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory over Denver’s Daniel Sancho Arbizu clinched Miyoshi a spot in the ITA National Fall Championships. Just qualifying for the competition was a feat only senior Hunter Heck and junior Karlis Ozolins could boast.

With experience living and playing in Japan, New York and now Illinois, Miyoshi goes through his background in playing tennis and what brought him to where he is today. Like many students at Illinois, Miyoshi strives for his best in

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The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

academics and works hard both on and off the court.

Miyoshi is majoring in strategy, innovation and entrepreneurship in the Gies College of Business. At the end of the fall semester, Miyoshi gave an overall summary of how he felt in both tennis and school.

“I think I showed that I can beat good players,” Miyoshi said. “Tennis-wise, I’ve been doing good so far. It wasn’t a really tough semester for me since it was, like, basic business classes and gen-ed courses, so overall, it was a pretty good semester for me.”

At just five or six years old, Miyoshi had already been introduced to tennis by his mother, who played when they lived in New York.

“I played a bunch of other sports, but I chose to play tennis when I went back to Japan when I was 10,” Miyoshi said.

The sophomore also played soccer,

baseball, flag football, basketball and swimming from the ages of 3 to 10 while growing up in New York. Along with this variety of sports, Miyoshi made time for the piano as well. In spite of his varied talents, Miyoshi ultimately chose to devote most of his time to tennis.

Miyoshi said he chose tennis because he liked that he could play as an individual. He said the process of building up your points throughout the match using strategy was intriguing.

Miyoshi considers himself an extrovert, so he feels comfortable adapting to situations and talking to new people.

Of all the places that wanted Miyoshi’s talents to help their program, it was the program’s coaching staff and community that attracted him the most — making Illinois an easy decision.

“The biggest reason is that I trusted (head coach) Brad (Dancer),” Miyoshi said. “He had a lot of energy and enthu-

siasm to make me a great tennis player in the future and the environment here was awesome.”

According to Miyoshi, Illinois academics were also a factor in his decision to commit.

“I thought that (Illinois) had many resources which will help me to improve my tennis and also, academically, it’s a top school in the country too.”

With the spring season coming up, Miyoshi’s confidence is unwavering.

The Illini have the fortune of very little roster turnover compared to last season and, according to Miyoshi, building on that familiar foundation is an exciting opportunity.

“I feel pretty confident right now since we have basically the same team as last year,” Miyoshi said. “I think we built a good culture from last season and we learned a lot of things which will help us to compete in January.”

MEN’S TENNIS

The DI || January 2024

19

WOMEN’S

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TENNIS THE DAILY ILLINI PHOTO FILE

Junior Kida Ferrari takes on the Illinois State Redbirds at Atkins Tennis Center on Feb. 12.

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Kate Duong Kida Ferrari Josie Frazier Megan Heuser Violeta Martinez McKenna Schaefbauer Rosie Seccia Kasia Treiber Alice Xu

Sr. Jr. 5th Jr. So. So. Fr. Jr. Fr.

Head Coach: Evan Clark Assistant Coaches: Jacob Eddins, Daniela Pedraza Novak

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WOMEN’S TENNIS

New faces, seasoned veterans: 2024 Illinois women’s tennis season preview STAFF WRITER

SAHIL MITTAL sahilsm3@dailyillini.com

A

fter a preseason full of mixed results and consistently positive attitudes from the entire team, Illinois women’s tennis is ready to get the 2024 regular season underway this month. Head coach Evan Clark, now in his eighth season, is excited about the culture and environment his players have created.

“We’ve created a culture where I feel like kids are really comfortable,” Clark said. “First of all, I think that’s kind of a testament to our players. They create a great, great atmosphere and they just love being here.”

With the departure of Emily Casati and Ashley Yeah after their senior seasons, Clark has had to fill out his roster with new faces. Freshmen Alice Xu and Rosie Sec-

cia were both added to the program along with sophomore McKenna Schaefbauer, who joined the Illini via the transfer portal, the first transfer addition in program history.

“We’ve always gotten phone calls; in May with some pretty good players looking to come to Illinois, we didn’t have scholarships available,” Clark said. “But we kind of changed our philosophy a little bit on that. And that was the first year we did it. We had a scholarship open, she was in the portal and the rest is history. It worked out very well for us, in my opinion.”

Despite being relatively new to the team, Schaefbauer has already made a strong impression during preseason tennis in the fall. The sophomore transfer is the only Illini to have made it past the first round of singles in the ITF/USTA 15K professional tournament in Champaign and knocked out the No. 2 team in the tournament’s doubles draw. Schaefbauer’s

impressive preseason showing indicates that she will be one to watch on either the singles or doubles court this season.

The team’s season began on Jan. 14 at the Atkins Tennis Center with Braggin’ Rights up for grabs against Missouri. Next, the Illini will travel to Durham, North Carolina, and Norman, Oklahoma, in back-toback weeks, leading up to the ITA national indoor championships.

Starting on Feb. 9, Illinois has a fourmatch homestand taking on Cincinnati, Brown, Ole Miss and Marshall. The following week, the team will head south for the Blue Gray Tennis Classic before returning home to take on Washington in their final nonconference matchup of the season.

Following a two-week break, Illinois will kick off the Big Ten Conference season at home against Maryland on March 15. The Illini will take on 10 more teams, split between home matches and other Big Ten campuses, culminating in a full con-

ference affair from April 24-28 at the Big Ten tournament in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

To finish off the season, the NCAA regional championships will take place at the beginning of May, and some Illini may qualify for the national championships at the end of the month. Last year, the No. 17 ranked duo of senior Kate Duong and junior Megan Heuser won two matches at nationals before falling in the elite eight to the No. 10 ranked team from Virginia. The All-American tandem was only the fifth pairing in Illinois history to receive a bid to the NCAA doubles championships and the first since 2013.

Despite fluctuating fall performances during the preseason, Duong and Heuser are still the team in the spotlight for the Illini after their 26-6 season last year and numerous accolades. Look for them to string together some momentum and follow up last year’s success with another strong season with another trip to the NCAA doubles championships potentially on the horizon. @sahil_mittal24

Schaefbauer, Clark detail unique path behind Illinois women’s tennis’ first transfer student ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

CONOR BLOUNT cblount3@dailyillini.com

O

riginally hailing from central Illinois, sophomore McKenna Schaefbauer spent her formative years training at Atkins Tennis Center.

She was never under the official guidance of head coach Evan Clark, but the two became well acquainted over time. Schaefbauer was able to get a small taste of Illinois’ environment over the course of her childhood through hitting sessions with players and sit-ins on practices.

Schaefbauer ultimately moved during high school and spent her freshman year of college at South Carolina despite Clark’s best efforts in recruiting.

Clark did not look back on the time he spent with Schaefbauer and her family as a wasted effort because that was never his approach. Rather than attempting to play

WOMEN’S TENNIS

a drawn-out recruiting game, Clark was focused on giving Schaefbauer the opportunity to improve.

“You just want to grow the game of tennis no matter what, whether you feel like the individual can help you or your program someday,” Clark said. “I felt like where she was at with her tennis, our team could certainly help her. Being able to hit with some of our girls and just be around our culture and seeing some team practices … was so beneficial for her. So I felt like whether she was going to come to Illinois someday or not, it was going to help her grow her tennis.”

Although Clark was content with Schaefbauer simply becoming a college athlete, he was quick to reach out when she entered the transfer portal in May 2023. The interest was mutual this time around, with Schaefbauer drawn to the familiarity of Illinois.

“I started talking to (Clark) right when

I got into the portal,” Schaefbauer said.

“It’s close to home and I’ve known (Clark) for a long time, so it was definitely a really comfortable decision for me to make.

There were really no doubts with coming here.”

Accepting a transfer was unknown territory for Illinois, which had established a pattern of vacancies being filled by freshmen. Clark broke that cycle and kept a scholarship open for the program’s first transfer student before Schaefbauer made her decision.

“We’ve been really lucky,” Clark said.

“We’ve always gotten phone calls in May with some pretty good transfers looking to come to Illinois. We didn’t have scholarships available. So it just happens that we kind of changed our philosophy a little bit and kept the scholarship open, thinking that we would have an ability to get a great transfer, not knowing that it would be McKenna. We had a scholarship open,

she was in the portal and the rest is history.”

The comforting familiarity of Illinois as a whole and the players’ welcoming environment allowed Schaefbauer to make a smooth transition. In her first semester as an Illini, Schaefbauer split her singles matches 3-3 while also breaking even as a duo with fifth-year Josie Frazier (4-4).

“It’s been a really positive transition for me,” Schaefbauer said. “It’s been really, really good. The girls are great, they’re super welcoming. My relationship with the coaching staff was really good coming in so I think we’ve just grown and really gotten to know each other. Obviously, I’m not exactly the same person I was when I was younger, so they’ve gotten to see me grow up a bit which is really nice and really cool. I feel like I just really have a lot of support here.” @blountco21 The DI || January 2024

21

One last ride

Kate Duong reflects on journey, discusses final season as Illini

JAMES CHEN THE DAILY ILLINI

Senior Kate Duong serves the ball in her match against Lucia De Santa Ana on Nov. 7.

STAFF WRITER

SAHIL MITTAL sahilsm3@dailyillini.com

A

ll-American. Professional tournament champion. NCAA doubles national championship qualifier. Highest-ever ITA doubles rank in Illini history. Kate Duong has done it all over the last three years and still has one more to go. However, coming to Illinois as a freshman from California, Duong didn’t know what to expect from college tennis.

“I obviously came as the lone freshman that year, so it was kind of a little bit of a pressure situation because I didn’t have anyone next to me to lean on,” Duong said. “I had to lean on a lot of the older girls, and they were all super helpful in having me make that transition from junior tennis into college tennis.”

Despite being in a new situation of

22 The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

team-focused tennis, Duong adjusted quickly during her freshman season and posted a strong 14-8 record in her debut season for the Illini.

One of the older girls who mentored Duong was now-graduated Asuka Kawai, with whom she still keeps in contact today. Kawai was a senior when Duong was a freshman, and she credits her with developing her mental fortitude on the court and providing key advice throughout her time as an Illini.

“Obviously, I’m a senior now, and she hasn’t been on the team for three years, but I’m still in constant communication with her,” Duong said. “I’m still asking her for advice because she left such a big impact on me. And I think without her, I wouldn’t have been able to be as mentally strong as I am now.”

Now, Duong is in a position of leadership as a senior and has a new generation of Illini to help lead — a completely different role compared to when she

joined the team just a few years ago.

When asked if she’s taken anyone under her wing, Duong had a hard time responding, voicing her love for all the underclassmen on the team. After a moment, however, Duong listed sophomore Violeta Martinez, with whom she is currently living, as one of the underclassmen she believes she has been able to provide the most guidance.

“Since we have a similar game style, it’s easy to talk about how our matches went and what we could have done better,” Duong said. “But obviously, everyone is their own player, so I try not to hinder their game style too much ... I just try to give them little pieces of advice here and there because I’m a little more of an experienced player, but they’re all amazing players.”

Despite it being her final season, with life after college tennis on the horizon, Duong seems as focused as ever — still changing her game. Coming off

of an impressive 27-7 doubles season with junior Megan Heuser, in which she was named an All-American, Duong wants to go further and is fine-tuning even the smallest details to produce another historic season.

“This year, I’ve been working on trying to be a little bit more steady from the baseline,” Duong said. “I tend to be an aggressive player, and sometimes I don’t need to be because sometimes the match doesn’t need that.”

Duong hasn’t been the only one putting in the work for this season. The entire team, from the upperclassmen down to the freshman, has been training hard and showing its competitive spirit during the fall preseason. Each player fought through many close matches, which bodes well for the team’s depth in the spring.

“Our team is really developed this year,” Duong said. “We’re all pretty even playing-wise, which is really exciting because we want to have that problem. We want to have so many people on the team that want to play and can play and that can make an impact at every single position.”

Duong has completely bought into that team spirit, providing an example for her younger teammates to follow.

She’s made it clear that no matter her individual goals, taking care of her spot in the lineup is her number one priority to ensure team success.

“I just want to make an impact wherever I am on the team,” Duong said. “I want to get ranked, obviously. That’s always been a goal for me. But that’s not always my main goal. My main goal is to take care of my position on the court.”

No matter what happens this season, it is certain that the team will miss having Duong on the court, and she said she will always return that sentiment after she moves on from Illinois.

“I’m going to miss being in a team environment for sure,” Duong said.

“You just can’t replicate it anywhere else.” @sahil_mittal24

WOMEN’S TENNIS

The DI || January 2024

23

PRINTED JAN. 24, 2024

SWIM & DIVE ROSTER

UPCOMING

SCHEDULE 1/27

vs. Nebraska 2/15 - 2/16 Louisville Invite 2/12 - 2/24

2/25 3/14 - 3/16 3/14 - 3/16 3/30 - 3/23

Big Ten championships Boilermaker time trials NCAA diving zones NIC championships NCAA championships

THE DAILY ILLINI PHOTO FILE

Illini fans watch from the side of the pool at the ARC as Illinois competes on Oct. 7.

NAME

STROKE

GR.

Free Breast Back Free Free Diving Free/Fly/IM Free/fFy Paloma Canos Cervera Fly/Free Martina Cibulkova Free/Fly Elle Crisostomo Diving Liv Dorshorst Free Matilda Garcia Diving Hannah Hong Diving

Fr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. So.

Maggie Adler Gwen Bakker Suvana Baskar Lauren Beard Laurel Bludgen Elleka Boeres Cara Bognar Sophia Burwitz

Sara Jass Paige Koscielski Logan Kuehne Anna Kurzydlo Allison Landis Marin McAndrew Bethany Mercer Brooke Michael Taylor Michael Kalina Nikolaeva Abby Ninan Meghan Niziolek Dani O’Kelly Lily Olson Adelaide Reaser Kylee Sessions Sydney Stoll Jane Umhofer Alexis Wendel Molly Yetter

Breast/IM So. Free Sr. Free Jr. Free Sr. Diving Sr. Free Fr. Diving Fr. Diving Sr. Diving Sr. IM/Free Fr. Fly/Free Fr. Free/Fly/Back Sr. Diving Fr. Free/Fly Sr. IM/Free So. Breast/Free Fr. Free Jr. Breast/IM Jr. Fly/Black So. Back/Free Jr.

Head Coach: Jeana Kempe Head Diving Coach: Tricia Grant Assistant Coach: Kyle Patnode

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The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

Yugo Champaign South 3rd Lofts & Yugo Urbana Illinois + more to come!

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finding your next apartment SWIM & DIVE

Illinois swim & dive looks ahead to end of season STAFF WRITER

LAURA MENDES laurafm2@dailyillini.com

I

llinois swim and dive has had an exciting season so far, sitting at 2-2 through the first two months of competition.

There are 12 fresh faces on the team mixed in with all the returning athletes, and the program has already seen amazing accomplishments so far.

In the annual Orange vs. Blue intrateam meet, Team Blue reached the wall first for the win by a score of 150-138. The schedule truly began when the Illini traveled to Kansas for their first official meet of the season, where they unfortunately fell shallow against the Jayhawks (131169).

A trip to California brought mixed results for the Illini. The team started its West Coast meets opposite Pepperdine, where it came out on top with a score of 164-75. However, the Illini were bested the next day when competing against UCLA. A tough matchup for the Illini resulted in a loss with a score of 73.5-167.5.

The Illini left California with an overall record of 1-2, so it was crucial for them to win their next meet against Vanderbilt. It was a great bounceback for Illinois, which won by a score of 156-106 and earned five new pool records on top of the win.

“This is one of the best Vanderbilt teams that I’ve seen in a long time,” noted head coach Jeana Kempe. “A big goal we had as a program (was) to beat Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt is a much-improved team, and they have been over the last couple of years. For us, it was a huge boat of confidence moving forward.”

Following the win, Illinois prepared for its next challenge — a midseason meet at Purdue. Held in November, the Boilermaker Invitational was the first time Illinois competed against multiple schools in the same meet.

The three days in West Lafayette, Indiana, were a huge success for the team as well. They stayed consistent throughout

SWIM & DIVE

THE DAILY ILLINI PHOTO FILE THE DAILY ILLINI

Illini divers line up to plunge into the water on Oct. 7.

and placed third out of eight teams who competed. Illinois was only behind Purdue and Northwestern, which are some of the best teams in the conference.

A trio of school records were broken when it was time to head home. Junior Suvana Baskar, freshman Kylee Sessions, junior Logan Kuehne and senior Lily Olson shattered the school record in the 200 medley relay by over a half second — good for a second-place finish in the event. Baskar also finished second with a time of 53.66 in the 100 backstroke, breaking the school record for that event. Junior Sydney Stoll helped add to the record-breaking weekend with a 54.24 in the 100 butterfly.

To Kempe, Illinois is still capable of achieving more, and this isn’t even the

beginning of what the new team can accomplish. With fresh talent, a happy atmosphere in day-to-day practice and the desire to win, there is no telling how high the Illini can go.

“Even as a coach, I don’t even know if we’ve cracked that next level of potential,” Kempe said. “We’re kind of in this waiting period, and one day, it’s going to come out there and it’s going to be even better than what we’ve seen on the outside looking into the program.”

Illinois swim and dive resumes its schedule on Jan. 12 and will host Iowa.

The very next day, the Illini will be back in West Lafayette, Indiana, for a dual meet — as the Big Ten championships draw ever nearer.

Online Exclusive How she Stoll the show Sydney Stoll’s journey to success with Illinois swim & dive

Scan the QR code to read the story. Or, check out our website at dailyillini.com for more content.

The DI || January 2024

25

UPCOMING

SCHEDULE

PRINTED JAN. 24, 2024

HOCKEY ELENA BAKER THE DAILY ILLINI

The crowd and team rejoice as defenseman Atticus Helfer strikes a long shot to tie the game on Nov. 1 during the Dads Weekend game.

1/26 @ Purdue Uni. Northwest 1/27 vs. Purdue Uni. Northwest 2/2 @ McKendree 2/3 @ McKendree 2/9 vs. Iowa State 2/10 vs. Iowa State 2/16 vs. Alabama 2/17 vs. Alabama 2/23 vs. Illinois State 2/24 vs. Illinois State

ROSTER # NAME

POS. GR.

1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9

G D D D F D F D

Ben Mazurek Joe Dorion Luke Alpe Harrison Slovick Alek Bogdonoff Nathan Dash Aidan Taylor Sangshi Yang

Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Gr. Fr. Fr. Fr.

10 Nick Anderson 11 Atticus Helfer 12 Emmitt Joy 13 Alexander Huntley 14 Drake Niles-Cox 15 Gregory Etingen 16 Caleb Santiago 17 Alexander Matveev 18 Francesco Addante 19 Alex Leskaj 21 Patrick McDonough 22 Connor Lawson 23 Anthony Varrassi 24 David Etingen 25 Andrew McLean 26 Bailey McCarthy 27 Jacon Lam 28 Aslan Zhusupbekov 28 Peter Campisi 32`Joseph Schmid 33 Nolan Woodring 37 Marc Mestanas 44 Matthew McDonald

D D D F F F F F F D F F F F F F D D F G G F D

Jr. Sr. Fr. So. Sr. So. Fr. Sr. So. Fr. So. So. Fr. Fr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. So.

Head Coach: John Opilka Assistant Coaches: Tyler Opilka, John McKinn

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Feb 6th - Feb 21st Sign up at illioyearbook.com 26 The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

HOCKEY

Illinois hockey enters second half of 2023-24 season with clean slate

ERIC CHIANG THE DAILY ILLINI

Senior Alexander Matveev fighting for the puck against Roosevelt on Oct. 27.

STAFF WRITER

JONATHAN MATHEW jmath8@dailyillini.com

I

llinois hockey is officially past the midway point in its season. After ending last season on a disappointing note, the team was ready to change things heading into the 2023-24 season.

“We focused a lot on the fundamentals and emphasizing making sure we play our style,” said head coach John Opilka.

With returning seniors coming back to play, things were shaping up for a strong season. Senior goalie Ben Mazurek was back and ready to go to defend the team’s goal. He was off to a great start, being ranked first in saves and save percentage in the first half of the season.

The Illini started their first four games of the season winning three out of the four games, already halfway in

HOCKEY

meeting last season’s final win total.

They looked sharp already scoring 13 goals in that four-game stretch.

“I always tell the guys that get as many shots as you can on goal, it may not be pretty but the more shots you take one of them will go in,” Opilka said. “It may not be pretty but it gets the job done.”

The month of October saw Illinois hit its first roadblock of the year. It was a spooky month for the Illini as they started to slow down a bit in their games. They lost both of their meetings against Purdue Northwest followed by another loss to Iowa State, bringing them under .500. Ahead of its next matchup against Alabama the following week, the team was riding a fourgame losing streak.

Illinois was able to find its way around the ice once again getting itself back in the win column against Roosevelt. By winning both of its games, it

was able to make up some ground in the standings and regain a winning record.

Sophomore left wingman Gregory Etingen helped lead the team in the Roosevelt game, scoring a hat trick of goals in that series. Etingen has been a major piece to the team’s success, leading in goals scored (6) and points tallied (19). Etingen also leads the team in assists (13), helping others like senior center Alek Bogdonoff to score six goals and junior center Alexander Matveev to score five goals.

“It is not just me,” Etingen said.

“It is a good measurement for the entire team. I got guys passing the puck around and great line chemistry.”

With the front three leading the team, they were able to find some success and won two more games before the second half of the season. It was enough to bring the Illini back to an even record with a 5-2 win over Purdue.

Recovering from injury is an important area for the program, as it lost multiple players to the injury report in November. With Mazurek also spending time away from the ice due to a knee injury, senior backup goalie Nolan Woodring took control and was able to step in and help out until Mazurek was able to come back a few weeks later.

Illinois’ second half of the schedule will see them face the same opponents that they went against earlier in the season. Heading into the new year, the team will look to start strong with games against Roosevelt, DePaul and Purdue Northwest in the month of January.

As they continue their season, the Illini will look to keep growing together as a team while finding success, continuing to play to their style and improving each day. @Jon_Mathew23 The DI || January 2024

27

PRINTED JAN. 24, 2024

BASEBALL ROSTER

UPCOMING

SCHEDULE 2/16 - 2/18 2/23 - 2/24 3/1 - 3/3 3/8 - 3/10 @ 3/12 @ 3/15 - 3/17 vs.

3/19 vs.

3/22 - 3/24 @ 3/26 vs.

3/29 - 3/31 vs.

4/2 @ 4/5 - 4/7 @

Wake Forest tourn.

Coastal Carolina tourn.

First Pitch Invitational Tennessee Indiana State Southern Indiana Bradley Indiana Missouri Penn State Illinois State Minnesota

CHAMPAIGN’S ALTERNATIVE

28 The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

4/9 vs.

4/12 - 4/14 vs.

4/16 vs.

4/19 - 4/21 vs.

4/23 vs.

4/26 - 4/28 @ 4/30 vs.

5/3 - 5/5 vs.

5/10 - 5/12 vs.

5/16 - 5/18 @

Illinois State Northern Illinois SIUE Northwestern Western Illinois Maryland Indiana State Ohio State Iowa Purdue

# NAME

POS. GR.

2 3 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17

Inf. Inf. OF OF C LHP RHP LHP Inf. C RHP RHP C

Brody Harding Coltin Quagliano Asher Bradd Christian Smith Jacob Schroeder Regan Hall Aden O’Donnell Payton Hutchings Cal Hejza Gavin Bennett Julius Sanchez Jake Swartz Camden Janik

R-Sr. Jr. Gr. R-So. R-Sr. Fr. Fr. R-Jr. Sr. R-So. So. So. Jr.

18 Brady Banker 19 Korey Bunselmeyer 20 Joe Glassey 21 Reagan Reeder 23 Reed Gannon 25 Cameron Chee-Aloy 26 Gabe Helder 27 Cooper Omans 28 Vytas Valincius 29 Liam Adamson 31 Evan Clark 32 Jayden Comia 33 Connor Milton 34 Drake Wescott 35 Logan Tabeling 37 Jake Rons 38 Collin Jennings 39 Jack Crowder 40 Ben Plumley 41 Will Lavin 42 Decker Mac Neil 43 Ryan Moerman 44 Sam Reed 45 Parker Burgess

LHP RHP RHP Inf. LHP OF RHP LHP Inf. RHP LHP Inf. OF Inf. RHP RHP OF RHP RHP RHP RHP Inf. LHP RHP

So. Sr. R-Sr. Fr. R-So. Fr. So. Gr. Jr. Fr. Jr. So. Sr. R-Jr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Sr. R-So. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Fr.

Head Coach: Dan Hartleb Assistant Coaches: Adam Christ, Mark Allen, Curt Courtwright, Jim Halpin

LIVE STREAM AT WPGU.COM

BASEBALL

DANIEL ZHOU THE DAILY ILLINI

Catcher Jacob Schroeder runs across the field during the second inning of a game against Eastern Illinois on Apr. 18.

Schroeder leads from behind plate as Illini baseball chases Big Ten championship STAFF WRITER

BRENDAN RECKA brecka2@dailyillini.com

A

fter a season characterized by new faces in the program, Illinois baseball heads into 2024 with their eyes on a Big Ten tournament championship.

Kicking off the season once again with the Wake Forest tournament, Illinois has another chance to face the topranked program. The Illini will advance to play another tournament with a tough program in Coastal Carolina, followed by the First Pitch Invitational in Greenville, South Carolina. The schedule stays difficult as a three-game series against Tennessee is set before Illinois moves into conference play.

Entering his 34th season with the Illini and 19th at the helm of the program, head coach Dan Hartleb faces the challenge of overcoming inconsistency suffered last spring. Illinois ended 2023

BASEBALL

with a record just short of .500 (25-27) and went 12-12 against Big Ten opponents. Hartleb is the winningest coach in Illinois baseball history, with over 500 to his name.

Veteran catcher and leader for the Illini, redshirt senior Jacob Schroeder has developed a solid rapport with the Illini bullpen and contributes his strong swing to the batting order.

“We went to some tough places last year, too,” Schroeder said. “I felt like we played well and were in a really good spot, but when we came to Big Ten play, we threw those lessons learned away and played down to our competition.”

Schroeder was one of 14 new players for the Illini last season. After playing for the White Sox ACE team and at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, he started his college career at Northern Illinois but entered the transfer portal after breaking his hamate bone. He then played a season at John A. Logan College before joining the Illini squad.

Last year, he resurged his career starting 38 games for Illinois and hitting .284 on the season. In his junior year, he recorded 38 hits for 40 RBI and knocked 14 dingers.

Schroeder battled with a torn PCL suffered on a slide into home plate during summer ball in June but safely avoided surgery and is “getting pretty close to 100% now.” With time still left before the season, Schroeder said he plans to work on the mental aspect of his batting approach and refine his catching mechanics with the skilled Illini training staff as well as his trainers at home.

Illinois has 21 pitchers listed on the 37man roster, giving them plenty of bullpen depth. Senior righthanded pitcher Jack Crowder, redshirt senior righthanded pitcher Joe Glassey and sophomore righthanded pitcher Julius Sanchez are returning arms who received considerable mound time last season and an extensive rotation can be expected in 2024.

“We’ve got a lot of electric arms with

good value and really nice stuff,” Schroeder said. “There’s a whole bunch of new guys and I think that they have come in here and are just ready to compete.

We’ve got a lot of strike throwers, guys who are going to attack and make the other team beat us. We’re not going to beat ourselves with walks.”

With a year of rebuilding in the past and chemistry continuing to build for the Illini, Schroeder carries a confident mindset into this season. Illinois swept Michigan State and Minnesota in 2023 but dropped two out of three games against all of their other Big Ten opponents.

“Obviously, I think that we’re going to go in and beat everyone,” Schroeder said.

“But regardless of the results, we should be able to learn and carry that into Big Ten play where we’re playing teams we know we should beat.”

Baseball fans can look forward to Illinois Field’s home opener on March 15 versus Southern Indiana.

The DI || January 2024

29

MEN’S

PRINTED JAN. 24, 2024

GOLF UPCOMING

ROSTER NAME Jackson Buchanan Timmy Crawford Tyler Goecke Max Herendeen Adam Hunt Piercen Hunt Jerry Ji Ryan Voois Ethan Wilson

SCHEDULE YR. Jr. 5th 5th Fr. Fr. Sr. 5th So. Fr.

Head Coach: Mike Small Asst. Coaches: Ruben Sondjaja, Eric Gilpin

1/27 Tinervin Cup 2/12 - 2/13 Hal Williams Collegiate 2/25 - 2/27 Southern Highlands Coll.

3/11 - 3/12 The Johnnie-O at Sea Island 3/25 - 3/26 Duck Invitational 4/6 - 4/7 Augusta Haskins Award Invit.

4/20 - 4/21 Fighting Illini Spring Coll.

4/26 - 4/28 Big Ten championship 5/13 - 5/15 NCAA regional 5/24 - 5/29 NCAA championship

JAMES HOECK THE DAILY ILLINI

Members of the Illinois golf team take notes while playing at the Atkins Golf Club on Apr. 22.

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MEN’S GOLF

Illinois men’s golf eyes glory in spring season STAFF WRITER

JORDAN GOODHART jzg3@dailyillini.com

A

s the winter frost begins to thaw, Illinois men’s golf returns to the home greens. The Illini, under the seasoned guidance of head coach Mike Small, look to make a significant impact in the spring 2024 season, building on a fall season that was as challenging as it was rewarding.

Last fall was a testament to the team’s resilience. Amid fluctuating performances, there were glimpses of brilliance that cannot be ignored. Standout moments include an impressive team victory at the Sahalee Players Championship and a commendable secondplace finish at the Flyer Invitational.

These highs were, however, balanced with some unexpected lows, particularly in tournaments where the Illini have traditionally dominated. A 10thplace finish in their home tournament at Olympia Fields was subpar, coupled with Illinois capping off the fall campaign with a disappointing seventhplace result in Pebble Beach.

One of the team’s bright spots has been the emergence of sophomore Ryan Voois. Voois played a huge role in Illinois’ second-place finish at the Flyer Invitational, where he carded back-toback 68s to uplift a team that struggled early on. His tied-for-fourth finish in the individual standings at Dayton is something Voois hopes to build off of this upcoming season.

Fifth-year senior Timmy Crawford, a graduate transfer from Loyola Chicago, continues to be a pillar for the team.

Crawford’s experience and poise under pressure have been invaluable, especially in guiding the younger players through the highs and lows of collegiate golf. His expertise was displayed during his first-place finish at the Flyer Invitational, where Crawford dominated from the first tee box, taking a commanding

MEN’S GOLF

seven-stroke lead after 36 holes. Crawford and the Illini will need this type of play not only from Crawford but also from the rest of the team.

Junior Jackson Buchanan and fifthyear senior Jerry Ji further bolster the team’s depth, both having shown they can compete at the highest level. Buchanan’s aggressive play style and Ji’s strategic approach to the game complement each other well, making them formidable opponents in team play.

Small, a legend in collegiate golf, is known for his ability to get the best out of his players — so much so that he earned himself a significant six-year extension this past offseason. Under Small, the Illini have won 13 of the last

14 Big Ten titles, consistently growing each year. Small and the Illini closed out last Spring as the No. 1 ranked team in the Golfstat national rankings and hope to repeat the same feat this upcoming spring.

The spring schedule looks challenging but promising. Illinois is set to participate in prestigious tournaments such as the Southern Highlands Collegiate and the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational. The Southern Highlands Collegiate will be crucial in setting the tone for the season and testing the team’s readiness for the NCAA championships.

As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Illinois men’s golf. With the mix

of young talent and experienced leadership, it’s hard to overstate how much success could come their way. The question on everyone’s mind is whether this spring will be the season they not only meet but exceed expectations, solidifying their place as one of the top collegiate golf teams in the nation.

With the first tee-off at the Hal Williams Collegiate just weeks away, the Illini are more than just hopeful, they are ready to make a statement. The journey to the top is never easy, but for the Illinois men’s golf team, the path is clear and the goal is in sight. @Jordan_Goodhart

JAMES HOECK THE DAILY ILLINI

On Apr. 22, the Illini competed in the 2023 Spring Collegiate during a cold windy day.

The DI || January 2024

31

WOMEN’S

PRINTED JAN. 24, 2024

GOLF UPCOMING

ROSTER NAME Lexanne Halama Erica Lee Yurang Li Anna Ritter Sophia Sulkar Isabel Sy

SCHEDULE YR. Jr. Fr. Fr. So. So. Sr.

2/12 - 2/14 Nexus Collegiate 2/26 - 2/27 ICON Invitational 3/11 - 3/12 Briar’s Creek Invitational 3/29 - 3/30 Liz Murhy Coll. Classic 4/13 - 4/14 Therese Hession Buckeye 4/19 - 4/21 Big Ten championships 5/6 - 5/8 NCAA regional 5/17 - 5/22 NCAA championships

Head Coach: Renee Slone Assistant Coaches: Pina Gentile, Julie Hovland

ALL NEW!

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLINI ATHLETICS

Senior Isabel Sy and assistant coach Pina Gentile raise their hands during an invitational on Oct. 10.

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WOMEN’S GOLF

Illinois women’s golf aims to bounce back in spring season STAFF WRITER

JORDAN GOODHART jzg3@dailyillini.com

A

s the 2024 spring season tees off, Illinois women’s golf stands on the precipice of what could be its most triumphant year yet. Despite a disappointing fall, the Illini scratched out a top-10 finish in their final tournament of 2023. Under the skillful guidance of their veteran coaching staff, the Illini are poised to stride significantly on the collegiate golf landscape.

Senior Isabel Sy, a longtime standout, is entering her final season with the Illini. Her journey with the team showcases her dedication and resilience through consistent improvements in her game. Sy has steadily cut down on her stroke average in her four years at Illinois, dropping from 75.19 to 70.00 strokes per round over her collegiate career. It’s a feat that Sy credits to her course management and experience.

“Every time I play a tournament, I try to learn something from it,” Sy explained. “All that experience compiling has helped me learn how to manage my own game and how to adjust my game towards each course that we play.”

Sy was named the Big Ten Conference Women’s Golfer of the Week for the final week of October. Sy, with her leadership skills and competitive spirit, has pivotally shaped the team’s dynamics, establishing herself as an indispensable asset on and off the course.

As she prepares for her last collegiate rounds, expectations are high for her to leave a lasting legacy.

Junior Lexanne Halama is another crucial player to watch this season. Halama showed regression last year, with her stroke average rising from 76.58 to 80.44 strokes in just one season. However, her strategic approach and ability to handle pressure point to a potential bounce-back spring for the Tennessee

WOMEN’S GOLF

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLINI ATHLETICS

Sophia Sulkar during the Illini Women’s Invitational at Medinah at the Medinah Country Club.

native.

Since 2006, head coach Renee Slone, a former LPGA Tour player and 1993 National College Player of the Year, has revolutionized Illinois women’s golf.

Her tenure, which includes the team’s first NCAA championship appearance and ninth-place finish in 2019, led to her winning the 2018-19 Big Ten Coach of the Year. Following a Big Ten championship in 2023, the message for 2024 is simple: repeat.

“We talked as a team before leaving campus,” Sy said. “Our goal is to win the Big Ten again. Competing in nationals is our biggest goal in mind …

We just have to take it one day at a time

and build on everything that we do.”

The Illini’s packed spring schedule features high-profile tournaments that will test their mettle against some of the best teams in the nation. These tournaments offer opportunities for the team to showcase its skills and play a crucial role in building its confidence and experience. A strong showing in these events could boost its rankings significantly, setting it up for future success.

Tournaments like the Nexus Collegiate and the ICON Invitational will give the Illinois faithful an outlook on what to expect in the spring. Illinois desperately needs a confidence booster

to open 2024, and these two tournaments could provide the juice it needs to compete at a high level.

As the season progresses, the Illinois women’s golf team’s blend of experience, talent and strong coaching will be its greatest asset. As the veterans of the bunch, Sy and Halama are set to lead the team not only with their performances but also with their ability to inspire and motivate their teammates.

The Illini are back in action on Feb. 12 at the Nexus Collegiate, which will be played at the Albany Golf Course in Nassau, Bahamas. @Jordan_Goodhart The DI || January 2024

33

MEN’S

PRINTED JAN. 24, 2024

GYMNASTICS PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNY BUTLER / ILLINI ATHLETICS

All-around freshman Vahe Petrosyan competes at the Orange and Blue meet at Huff Hall on Dec. 8.

34 The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

UPCOMING

SCHEDULE 1/28 vs. Oklahoma 2/3 vs. Michigan 2/9 vs. Simpson 2/23 - 2/25 Winter Cup 3/1 vs. William & Mary/Simpson 3/10 @ Nebraska 3/16 vs. Ohio State 3/23 @ Penn State 4/5 - 4/6 Big Ten championship 4/19 - 4/20 NCAA championship

ROSTER # NAME

POS. GR.

3 Amari Sewell All 7 Vahe Petrosyan All 11 Evan Manivong All 12 Michael Fletcher All 16 Max Farkhadau Pom. 17 Logan Myers All 21 Sebastian Ingersoll All 23 Will Hauke All 24 Tate Costa All 25 Kyle Mayotte All 26 Brandon Dang Pom. 27 Garrett Schooley All 27 Dylan Shepard All 29 Alex Tapanes All 31 Ethan Boder All 33 Ryan Vanichtheeranont All 42 Preston Ngai All 43 Connor Micklos All 63 Ashton Anaya Rings 77 Connor McCool F/V

Jr. Fr. Gr. Gr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Sr. So. Fr. So. Sr. Gr.

Head Coach: Daniel Ribeiro Assistant Coaches: Don Osborn, Tim McNeill

MEN’S GYMNASTICS

Illinois men’s gymnastics aims for new heights in upcoming season STAFF WRITER

LAURA MENDES laurafm2@dailyillini.com

I

llinois men’s gymnastics had a memorable 2023 season. From an impressive 17-11 overall record with several wins over top-ranked opponents to succeeding at the highest stage in the postseason, the Illini continue to raise the bar for themselves.

A third-place finish in the NCAA championships was the highest Illinois had finished since 2018. On top of that, two Illini took home individual titles for the first time since 2012.

Then-graduate student Ian Skirkey won on the pommel horse with an exceptional score of 14.800 while Ashton Anaya, who was a sophomore at the time, won on rings with a score of 14.471. Anaya contributed to a long line of success on rings, being the sixth athlete from Illinois to top the event in the past seven years.

As recognition for the stellar year, several Illini took home All-Big Ten honors. Four Illini athletes earned AllBig Ten first-team honors, including Anaya, Skirkey, then-senior Connor McCool and then-graduate student Michael Fletcher.

Three Illini athletes made the AllBig Ten second team: then-sophomore Max Farkhadau, then-senior Evan Manivong and then-graduate student David Pochinka. McCool was also honored with a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

With expectations through the roof, the biggest thing for the Illini this year might be the Big Ten championship, which will be at the State Farm Center in Champaign.

“We got a familiar crowd that will be favorable to us,” McCool said. “We’re going to have the loudest cheers and have that energy. It really is insane how having an interactive crowd and people that are rooting for you really does affect momentum, and if something goes

MEN’S GYMNASTICS

wrong, it doesn’t feel like a big deal because you have people behind you.”

According to McCool, the primary advantage of competing on home turf is the energy of Illinois fans.

“It just feels like a much more exciting environment versus when you’re away, you do kind of feel that sense of being alone,” McCool explained. “It is nice to have the fan base behind you.”

The advantages of hosting go beyond having the home crowd behind McCool and the Illini. Being in their usual environment and already having a feel for each aspect of their event will make all the difference for them.

“We get to have the familiar equipment we are used to, so that’s another

competitive advantage,” McCool said.

“We don’t have any adjustments we need to do on meet day. We’ll know what to do. Other teams will have to come in and feel it out, and we’ll be ready. ... With how competitive the Big Ten is, any edge we can get is important, so we’re excited we get to host it this year.”

Illinois has worked hard to bring in talent, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed

by McCool, who said she believes having a lot more all-around athletes gives the team more flexibility.

“This year, we have the talent to stack up,” McCool said. “We’re really excited to see how it plays out. We’ve got a lot of hard-working guys, a lot of

great gymnastics.”

According to McCool, the versatility of individual athletes allows for more rest time all around.

“The more events you can get out of each athlete, the better. You just have options and depth,” McCool explained.

“This year we’ll have options, and we can also rest people so our all-arounders don’t have to do every single event at every meet, so we can try out different lineups.”

Illinois men’s gymnastics kicked off its 2024 season on Jan. 13 in Chicago at the Windy City Invitational. Home play begins two weeks later against Oklahoma.

JAMES HOECK THE DAILY ILLINI

Freshman Brandon Dang stunts a flip in the middle of the State Farm Center during a halftime show performance for men’s basketball on Oct. 29.

RECORD

4 1 WINS

LOSS

The DI || January 2024

35

WOMEN’S

PRINTED JAN. 24, 2024

GYMNASTICS JAMES HOECK THE DAILY ILLINI

The Illinois women’s gymnastics team rushes to celebrate together during a match against Michigan State on Feb. 27.

36 The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

UPCOMING

SCHEDULE 1/29 2/4 2/9 2/16 2/18 2/24 3/1 3/3 3/8 3/15 3/17

@ Ohio State vs. Rutgers @ Michigan State Missouri, Florida, ... vs. Minnesota Big Five Meet Ohio State, Kent State, ...

vs. Bowling Green @ Minnesota/Alabama Collegiate Challenge vs. Arizona/Missouri/SEMO

ROSTER NAME

POS. GR.

Alea Byrne Olivia Coppola Destiny Denning Kaitlyn Ewald Kadyn Fitzgibbon Kendall Flury Michaela Gentry Makayla Green Tali Jeolson Amelia Knight Allie Morgan Abby Mueller Mareli Muller Ruthuja Nataraj Lyden Saltness Mia Takekawa Mia Townes Maddie Vitolo Arielle Ward Emma White

All So. All Fr. All Fr. All Sr. All Jr. All Fr. All Jr. All Jr. F/BB/V So. All Sr. All Sr. All Sr. All Fr. All Jr. All Fr. All Gr. All Gr. All Fr. All So. All So.

Head Coach: Nadalie Walsh Assistant Coaches: Josh Nilson, Ross Thompson

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

Illinois women’s gymnastics flips into a comeback STAFF WRITER

LAURA MENDES laurafm2@dailyillini.com

I

llinois women’s gymnastics split the count during its 2023 season. The Illini were 10-10 overall, 4-5 against Big Ten opponents, and finished fifth out of 10 at the Big Ten championship in 2023. This year, the Big Ten preseason poll ranked the Illini sixth out of 10, while the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association’s preseason poll had them at 26th nationally.

From top to bottom, the WCGA preseason poll featured all Big Ten programs. Two Illini athletes were also featured on their gymnastics watchlist: senior Amelia Knight and graduate student Mia Takekawa. Entering her fourth year with the Illini, Knight has taken on a more active voice in the locker room with the hope of offering her younger peers valuable guidance.

“I think definitely this year I’ve stepped into more of a leadership role,” Knight said. “I feel like I’m able to be a mentor to them through what I’ve learned during my four years here.

Through the experiences I’ve been through, I’ve been able to guide them through (it) and what works with me because transitioning into college is difficult.”

That will be especially valuable for the Illini this season, who have a handful of fresh talent and six total freshmen.

“I think we ended on quite the low last year,” Knight said. “We were all disappointed with how the season went.

I’m really looking forward to getting out there and showing all of the hard work that we have put in.”

According to Knight, the upperclassmen on the team have shown great improvement from previous seasons.

“Even for the returners we’ve had

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

JAMES HOECK THE DAILY ILLINI

All-awround senior Amelia Knight takes to the balance beam on Feb. 27.

this year, everyone has made huge progress, Knight said. “We have got lots of upgrades this year, and I’m excited for all of that to come together.

Hopefully, we have a much more successful season this year.”

Knight shed light on how the end of the Illini’s previous season was not the outcome they wanted, building into their goals this year.

“We want to be Big Ten champions this year,” Knight said. “We set goals and like stepping stones, so we have goals to work towards along the road instead of just one big end goal.”

No longer having the absolute certainty of another year with the team in front of her, Knight is excited to give it her all in the present.

“I’m just excited to have fun and

enjoy the moment,” Knight said. “I think we’re hungry — hungry to do really well this year.”

Illinois women’s gymnastics began its journey on Jan. 5 in Las Vegas at the Super 16. Home action commenced less than a week later, with West Virginia, Western Michigan and UW Oshkosh on the mats at Huff Hall.

The DI || January 2024

37

RELEASE DATE—Sunday, January 21, 2024

Los Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle

Sudoku By The Mepham Group

Edited by Patti Varol 92 *Lament from a 131 No. in a forecast Red Sox fan?

132 Lock 97 1981 cable 133 Word on a debut triangular sign 98 Teeny bit 134 Exemptions for ACROSS 99 Skating legend top seeds 1 Some small Sonja 135 __ buco dogs 100 Hill worker?

5 Musubi wrap 101 Permeate DOWN 9 Intel research 102 “If the __ fits ... ” 1 Former 14 African capital 104 Wild guess Eurasian leader where Akan is 107 Sneaky coward 2 Rather spoken 109 *Eerie 3 Rock the baby, 19 “Scram!”

Midwestern around the 20 Germ carrier? downtown area? world, etc.

21 Russian crepes 115 “Grease” 4 Comforts 22 Frasier’s brother actress Conn 5 “Night Court” TV 23 *“This should 116 Sand hill network be just right, my 117 “__ you for 6 British pop furry friends”? real?” singer Rita 26 Liquid-Plumr rival 118 Hasbro game 7 Made the grade 27 Origins that requires 8 Bee or butterfly 28 Fair-hiring initials quick reflexes 9 Sac fly result 29 Indian flatbread 121 Make up (for) 10 Antlered 31 Color that is 123 Embedded ruminant equal parts blue narrative, and a 11 Olds of old and green description of the 12 Shallot kin 32 *Peculiar pair at answer to each 13 __ Gritty Dirt the office? starred clue Band 38 Has motivation 128 Switchboard 14 “Your point is?” for section 15 Big top 40 Bout enders, 129 Out performance briefly 130 Not pizzicato 16 Skeet target 41 “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody” director Lemmons 42 Dwarf planet named for a goddess of discord 43 MYOB part 45 Dam on the Nile 49 Escher museum site, with “The” 52 Sleepy pal 53 *Things that make you go hmm ... ?

57 Tour guide’s badge words 59 Baby sheep 60 ABC News anchor David 61 Duds 62 Push back, in a way 64 Reef-dwelling Pixar character 67 “Be prepared” org.

68 New prefix 69 *Salon pro who’s a genius with AquaNet? 75 Butterfield of “Sex Education” 78 Work on a lawn 79 Old-timey dagger 80 Breathe Right user, maybe 84 Mete (out) 86 Substandard 88 Wager 91 Many Vegas lights 1/21/24

38 The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024

17 Kidney-related 18 With a single voice 24 Takes advantage of 25 Gander 30 “Eww!” 33 Short “And yet ... ” 34 Woodworking connector 35 Utah city near two national parks 36 Soft summons 37 Lanikai Beach’s island 38 Like some grilling planks 39 Got up 44 Confidentiality doc 46 Typist’s meas.

47 Curaçao neighbor 48 Hard on the ears 50 Goad 51 Canadian gas brand 53 “Intelligence for Your Life” host John 54 Hilton competitor

55 Some airport 93 “Hold it, rides horses!”

56 Attracts 94 Share hot goss 58 Charles River 95 Himalayan sch. recluse 63 Andante and 96 Citation abbr. adagio 101 Degrade oneself 65 Hotmail provider by 66 La Scala 103 Word with year performance or rear 70 Flask filler 105 South American 71 Got up palm 72 Harness strap 106 Drink list?

73 Homey lodgings 108 Asian noodle 74 “Big Little Lies” 109 Get used (to) actress Kravitz 110 Instrument in 75 Throws in Hindi cinema 76 Time in the tub 111 Pet in a tank 77 “Nearly 112 Zhou who finished!” hosted Nixon 81 Orchard fruit 113 Stop originally from 114 Walt Disney Ohio Concert Hall 82 “Come on in!” architect Frank 83 Answered an 119 Alpo rival invite 120 Tit for tat, e.g.

85 Puts in a Hall of 122 Some city trains Fame, say 124 Luxury bag 87 Kylo of the “Star monogram Wars” sequels 125 Tied the knot 89 Jamaican genre 126 Broomball 90 Sport with surface bamboo swords 127 Denials

Level 1

2

3

4

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org/uk

THE DAILY ILLINI

SPRING HOUSING FAIR

MAKE FINDING YOUR NEXT APARTMENT A

SLAM DUNK!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22 11am-2pm Illini Union South Lounge Rooms B and C

Answers to this month’s puzzles

1/21/24

“DOUBLE BILL” BY TAYLOR JOHNSON & CHANDI DEITMER

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

PUZZLES

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HOME SCHEDULE JAN. 17 | 6 PM RUTGERS

JAN. 25 | 6 PM OHIO STATE

JAN. 28 | 2 PM MINNESOTA

WE BACK PAT GAME

PACK THE HOUSE

NATIONAL GIRLS & WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY

FEB. 8 | 6 PM FEB. 11 | 2 PM NORTHWESTERN MARYLAND PRIDE NIGHT

PLAY4KAY - PINK GAME

FEB. 19 | 1 PM INDIANA

MAR. 3 | 2 PM NEBRASKA

YOUTH BASKETBALL DAY

SENIOR DAY

STUDENTS GET FREE ADMISSION TO ALL HOME WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAMES WITH I-CARD

MEN’S BASKETBALL HOME SCHEDULE JAN. 21 | 12 PM JAN. 27 | 2 PM FEB. 4 | 5:30 PM NEBRASKA RUTGERS INDIANA STRIPE OUT STATE FARM COACHES VS. CANCER

FEB. 13 | 6 PM MICHIGAN

FEB. 24 | 1:15 PM IOWA

FEB. 28 | 8 PM MINNESOTA

MAR. 5 | 6 PM PURDUE

GAMEDAY SPIRIT

SENIOR NIGHT

HAIL TO THE ORANGE OUT

RALLY TOWELS PRESENTED

BY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

The DI || January 2024

39

It takes an expert in health systems management to help improve patient lives

Rush University’s College of Health Sciences prepares graduates to meet and exceed the increasing demand in growing allied health fields.

Explore a career in Health Systems Management at rushu.rush.edu/hsm 40 The DI || Volume 153 Issue 6 || January 2024