Fans use social media to quench sports thirst
By Miles Powers-Huang, Staff Writer
March 24, 2020
It seemed too good to be true when sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu picked up the loose ball with Illinois down two and drained a deep three with 6.8 seconds left to steal a 79-78 upset win over 2-seed Creighton to advance to its first sweet sixteen since 2005. That’s because it was. No, that sequence did not act...
Dosunmu must decide: Making the case for junior season
By Alec Busse, Video Editor
March 23, 2020
Sophomore Ayo Dosunmu doesn’t like making the easy decision. Dosunmu took the hard route coming out of Morgan Park in Chicago, signing with Illinois in November 2017. Dosunmu made the hard choice when he announced he was returning to Illinois for his sophomore season in the spring of 2019. Now, the...
New decade offers top Illini moments
By Carson Gourdie, Assistant Sports Editor
March 23, 2020
Illinois basketball was primed to make a memorable run in this year’s Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. After a six-year tournament drought, Illinois, led by sophomore Ayo Dosunmu and freshman Kofi Cockburn, stole the hearts of Champaign and Urbana, putting together a 21-10 season behind stout defensive p...
Young Illini team makes strides during shortened season
By Carson Gourdie, Assistant Sports Editor
March 22, 2020
The 2019-2020 women’s track and field season is in the books due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While this means Illini fans are going to have to wait months to see their favorite athletes back in action, it doesn’t mean a recap of this season’s highs and lows has to be canceled, too. A...
Illini focus on resilience after abrupt end to season
By Luca Ripani, Staff Writer
March 21, 2020
The Illinois men's tennis team was stunned by the recent news of the cancellation of their season by the NCAA, in addition to the cancellation of all sports for the rest of the year in an effort to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The team had just sped out to a 2-0 conference start, inclu...
Illini finish indoor season before outdoor season canceled
By Gabby Hajduk, Sports Editor
March 21, 2020
The Illinois men's track team competed at the Big Ten Indoor Championships to wrap up its indoor season just before the conference canceled all spring sports. The Illini were just three weeks from their first outdoor meet, the Willie Williams Classic in Tucson, Arizona, which was set to take place on...
Illini softball adjust to COVID-19
By Claire O'Brien, Staff Writer
March 20, 2020
The Illinois softball team was the last Illini team to play in a contest this year, defeating Missouri 2-1 on March 11. All sports were canceled on March 12 due to the fluid COVID-19 pandemic. Head coach Tyra Perry said the Missouri game came with uncertainties. The team initially heard the game woul...
MLB draft uncertain amidst collegiate, professional cancellations
By Rich Eberwein, Staff Writer
March 20, 2020
With organized baseball currently on hold essentially everywhere, amateur players trying to take their next steps into professional careers will have to stand by and contemplate their situations as MLB’s first-year player draft may not even happen. With 17 new players on the squad in 2020, Illino...
Feagles, seniors weigh options after season canceled
By Jackson Janes, Assistant Sports Editor
March 19, 2020
Most senior athletes compete for four years at a collegiate level before being forced to make difficult decisions regarding life after college. Senior golfer Michael Feagles thought this would be his final year, but he never expected it to end like this. “It’s been a whirlwind of emotions for s...
Illini’s tough season ended by cancelations
By Wes Hollenberg, Staff Writer
March 19, 2020
The remainder of the Illinois women’s tennis season has been canceled due to concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19. There were 11 scheduled matches the Illini will not have a chance to compete in. The Illini had a 5-9 record this season, struggling to compete against top tier teams. The team had...
Transfer portal helps Illini fill needs
By Alec Busse, Video Editor
March 19, 2020
On Friday, the NCAA restricted on- and off-campus recruiting visits, handcuffing the Illini's football recruiting efforts on the transfer market. Last season, Illinois found lots of success in the transfer portal, including its starting quarterback (Brandon Peters), a pair of starting wide receivers (J...
Illini finish on high note, rank No. 21 in final poll
By Gabby Hajduk, Sports Editor
March 18, 2020
The Illinois men's basketball team came in at No. 21 in the final Associated Press Top 25 Poll of the season on Wednesday. The Illini haven't finished a season ranked since the 2005-2006 season when the team advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament and were ranked No. 13. Illinois spent...
