With the start of the season approaching for Illinois, there is much excitement around the program. Head coach Shauna Green has done a complete 180 in her first three seasons at Illinois. She transformed the program, bringing three consecutive winning seasons and even a March Madness appearance after a 20-year drought. 

As Green enters her fourth season leading the Illini, here are four factors at play this season that should impact team success. 

Welcome back, welcome home

While Green has seven returning players, only six played last season. Redshirt sophomore center Lety Vasconcelos missed the entirety of last season due to an injury. Vasconcelos, alongside junior guard Gretchen Dolan, are expected to make their return to the court after injuries limited their playing time last season.

After losing the majority of her starting lineup, Green is starting fresh this year. Newcomers account for over half of the roster. The Illini rookies consist of three transfers and five freshmen. Finding the bond between these players and how they will gel together on the court is crucial. 

Green praised the way the team was able to connect with one another and build connections that are both meaningful and genuine. 

“That was one thing that I give our players a ton of credit with this summer,” Green said earlier this month. “They hung out all the time. They really knew that it was important, because it was a lot of new people, and they were constantly together.” 

International talent

Men’s basketball head coach Brad Underwood isn’t the only one recruiting international stars. Green’s roster this season consists of six international players from four continents. 

Vasconcelos and fellow Brazilian freshman forward Manuella Alves are Green’s two South American players. Also from south of the equator is Australian freshman guard Erica Finney. 

Spain’s Institut Joaquim Blume produced two of the Illini’s forwards this season. Graduate student Giesela Segura and sophomore Irene Noya Catoira both competed at the institution in Barcelona.

Rounding out the international players is freshman forward Cearah Parchment. The Whitby, Ontario native spent part of her summer competing for Canada at the FIBA U19 World Cup. 

Green mentioned that her staff relies on the knowledge and expertise of Underwood and his staff when it comes to recruiting international players.

“I think our international recruiting has happened a little bit more organically than them,” Green said at Big Ten Media Days. “It is something that I’m really intrigued by, and continuing to ask them advice on it.”

Part of Green’s explanation was that some of her international players played high school ball in the United States. While Illinois already has some international players, Green mentioned that there is more work to do with international recruiting moving forward.

Injuries test depth

Green may have spoken too soon at Big Ten Media Days earlier this month. 

“I’m not used to having 14 healthy people,” Green said. “Knock on wood, we stay that way.”

Two athletes announced their season-ending injuries on Tuesday — two short days before the exhibition game. 

Illinois announced on Instagram Tuesday afternoon that both Alves and Finney suffered season-ending injuries. The two freshmen have already gone through their surgeries for their respective preseason injuries. Alves tore her ACL and Finney had a bilateral knee procedure – also known as a double knee replacement.

The two major injuries will test both Green and Illinois. Last season, the Illini lost Vasconcelos for the entire season and Dolan due to her knee injury after eight games. Now both healthy, they should play key roles this season. 

Green talked specifically about Dolan’s season prior to her injury and how she’ll be ready to take on a greater role this year.

“She was playing at such a high level last year, before she couldn’t go anymore,” Green said earlier this month. “She’s just such a dynamic scorer — defense … that’s gotten better. I think she’s ready. She learned a lot from her time out. I think she’s ready to lead.”

Shauna Green effect

The “Shauna Green Effect” on Illinois could not be more evident. Increased wins, increased fan attendance and increased rankings are partially why Green is loved by the community and the team. 

“I think we obviously continue to get better and have momentum going in this program, something that we didn’t have a few years ago,” Green said earlier this month. “We want to keep that but again, we’re never satisfied here. Every year is a new journey. We’re not last year’s team. Last year’s team wasn’t even the year before because of different pieces.”

Green proved that in her short time at Illinois that she can take the program to the next level. She led Illinois to its first NCAA March Madness appearance in 20 years in 2023, then in 2025 to its first NCAA March Madness win in 25 years. All of these accomplishments are part of her goal at Illinois. 

“Our goals don’t change,” Green said earlier this month. “I’m not going to fluctuate with that just because of maybe our youth. We’re going to still strive and compete to win championships, make NCAA tournaments and make deep runs.”

If Green can have the same amount of success she did in her first three seasons, the next few years show no signs of the “Shauna Green Effect” slowing down.

Illinois opens its season with a home exhibition against Maryville Thursday at 6 p.m. CDT.

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