Illini volleyball breast cancer fundraising surpasses last year’s mark

Illinois+Alexis+Villunas+%288%29+sets+the+ball+during+the+game+against+Rutgers+at+Huff+Hall%2C+on+Sept.+27.

Illinois’ Alexis Villunas (8) sets the ball during the game against Rutgers at Huff Hall, on Sept. 27.

While the Illinois volleyball team is striving to improve its results on the court from last season, the Illini have already surpassed the 2013 team’s philanthropy.

Friday’s match against Indiana will be the team’s annual “Breast Cancer Awareness” match, where the Illini will be wearing pink jerseys for the only time this year.

For the home matches against Maryland and Rutgers on Sept. 26-27, the Illini Networkers held silent auctions for the pink jerseys. The winner of each bid was able to put a name on the back of the jersey and then the jerseys will be given to the winners after the match Friday.

This year’s fundraising has surpassed last season’s, and the team will continue accepting donations at Friday’s match. Through donations, the silent auction and an eBay auction of four more pink jerseys, the team has raised $5,130.

Last year’s total was $5,055, of which $4,003 was donated after the cost of the jerseys was subtracted.

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All of the proceeds go to the Mills Breast Cancer Institute in Urbana.

The Illini have held a breast cancer awareness match each year since 2009.

“It will have a lot of meaning for us to wear the pink jerseys,” head coach Kevin Hambly said. “We’ve had people around our program deal with breast cancer.”

Hambly mentioned outside hitter Michelle Strizak’s mom as an example. Her breast cancer is currently in remission.

Two Illini garner weekly Big Ten awards

After the week’s matches against Iowa and Nebraska, the Big Ten recognized middle blocker Katie Stadick as co-Defensive Player of the Week, while Alexis Viliunas was named Big Ten Setter of the Week.

Stadick set a new career-high Wednesday with 11 blocks in a five-set victory over the Hawkeyes and added eight more blocks against the Huskers on Saturday. The sophomore now leads the Big Ten at 1.37 blocks per set. Fellow middle blocker Anna Dorn ranks fifth at 1.23.

Since switching to a 5-1 offense three games ago, the Illini offense has been solely in Viliunas’ hands. The junior posted 54 assists against Iowa — one short of her career-high — only to surpass that total with 56 assists in the Nebraska game.

The Illini played in the 5-1 all last season, but were in a 6-2 this year up until the match against Penn State.

“I thought we did a good job this week of getting better in that system,” Hambly said. “I think (Viliunas) was settling into the 6-2, so it might take a little while for her to be comfortable for being out there the whole time and managing the match.”

Big Ten standings logjammed at the top

Even with tough road wins over Nebraska and Penn State, the Illini are still a game behind Purdue and Wisconsin for first place in the conference.

The Boilermakers and Badgers are each at 7-1, while the Illini are tied with Penn State at 6-2. Eight teams are within two games of first place, five of whom are ranked in the top-25.

“There’s four or five teams competing to win the Big Ten this year and I think one loss is going to separate the first from, it could be fourth or fifth with ties and the way that it’s going,” Hambly said.

Stephen can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter @steve_bourbon.