Cross country, track and field teams deal with postponed competition, possible season overlap
By Luca Ripani, Staff Writer
September 15, 2020
As the Big Ten sports world continues to reel from the conference’s decision to postpone fall athletics in August, many coaches and players are dealing with the logistical issues raised by playing fall sports in the spring, such as cross country and track and field. Although cross country is a fall...
Newcomers bring new look to Illini volleyball
By Wes Hollenberg, Staff Writer
September 14, 2020
When Illinois volleyball returns, there will be some big shoes to fill due to the loss of four seniors who graduated last year. With the exit of Jacqueline Quade, Caroline Welsh, Beth Prince and Ashlyn Fleming, the team is now beginning to look substantially different from Illinois’ 2018 Final Four rost...
Hutcherson prepared for lofty expectations at Illinois after year off
By Brandon Simberg, Staff Writer
September 14, 2020
Shooting the three-pointer was anything but easy for Illinois in the 2019-2020 season. As a team, they shot 30.3% from behind the arc, finishing dead last in the Big Ten and 311th in the country. Improving on shooting is a must for Illinois this season. Enter redshirt junior Austin Hutcherson. Hutcherson sat out l...
Illini hopeful for rise in NFL Draft prospects
By Josh Pietsch, Staff Writer
September 14, 2020
bAfter having no one taken in the 2020 NFL draft, the Illini would love to get some names on the board next year. Luckily for them, there are a couple of guys on the team that are expected to get drafted already and a handful of others that can raise their stock to sneak into the 2021 NFL Draft. Th...
Men’s gymnastics begins fall practices
By Bradley Zimmerman, Staff Writer
September 14, 2020
The Illinois men’s gymnastics team restarted team practices in Kenney Gym on Aug. 31. This marks the first time since March the gymnasts not only practiced together but even used their Urbana training and practice facility. Under normal circumstances, the team would have remained on campus throughout ...
Hutcherson has rediscovered his love for the game through injuries, tribulations
By Brandon Simberg, Staff Writer
September 12, 2020
When Austin Hutcherson steps on the court at Ubben Basketball Practice Facility, he knows he defeated the odds to get there. Constant injuries and setbacks defined Hutcherson’s high school career. Limited to just one AAU season, Hutcherson had little time to get noticed. The Freehold, New Jersey nati...
Illini await Division I recognition after COVID-19 delays
By Carson Gourdie, Assistant Sports Editor
September 10, 2020
The state of Illinois currently has zero Division I hockey programs. Eventually, that number will increase. Josh Whitman and the Illinois athletic department are still planning to add a Division I program, although the impacts of COVID-19 have significantly delayed the process of seeing the transit...
Illinois alum Veland signs first professional contract
By Angelle Cortes, Staff Writer
September 10, 2020
Former Illinois women’s soccer midfielder Arianna Veland signed her first professional contract with German club FC Würzburger Kickers. Veland played for Illinois from 2016-2019. According to Upper V Athlete Management via Twitter, who represents Veland, on Friday, Sept. 4, she had signed a contract and...
Ten former Illini currently reside on NFL rosters
By Gabby Hajduk, Sports Editor
September 10, 2020
The NFL begins its 2020 season today with reigning Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football. While the league has been pretty quiet about players testing positive for COVID-19, the season looks to be in good shape. The college football season can’t...
Illini look to fill void left by Feliz, Griffin
September 9, 2020
In the second half of the game at Iowa last season, Hawkeye’s star center Luka Garza grabbed a rebound and was moments away from starting a Hawkeye fastbreak. That was until 6-foot-2-inch Illinois guard Andrés Feliz snuck in and ripped the ball away from Garza, finishing a lay-up and giving a boost to...
Volleyball goes on without Big Ten, Pac-12
By Wes Hollenberg, Staff Writer
September 8, 2020
Volleyball, along with all other fall sports, has come to a halt in the Big Ten and Pac-12. The three other Power-5 conferences, however, plan for sports to continue. Though the women’s volleyball national championships have been pushed to the spring of 2021, there is now the possibility of a se...
Goalkeepers use season cancellation for growth
By Angelle Cortes, Staff Writer
September 8, 2020
Recent graduate Jaelyn Cunningham made a huge impact on the soccer team, during her four years at Illinois. Three out of her four years, she was the starting goalkeeper for the team and her outstanding performances led her to be named to the 2018 All-Big Ten Second Team. “Obviously Jaelyn is a stunning goalkeeper...
