Illinois adds all-star setter to team
By Gabby Hajduk, Staff Writer
April 22, 2019
Less than four years ago, Illinois setter Mica Allison committed to play collegiate volleyball at Auburn University, about 10 hours from her home in central Illinois. Allison loved Auburn and its beauty when she stepped on campus last summer. She headed into Auburn with an impressive resume: 2018 USA...
Illinois faces Purdue again in spring campaign
By Rachel Spencer, Assistant Sports Editor
April 9, 2019
Illinois volleyball will return to Huff Hall on Wednesday as their brief spring volleyball season draws to a close this week. Wednesday’s matchup will feature a second spring showdown between the Illini and the Purdue Boilermakers, who faced off March 30 to start off-season play. Illinois will close o...
Illinois volleyball set to play spring schedule
By Rachel Spencer, Assistant Sports Editor
March 29, 2019
Illinois volleyball will be hitting the road this weekend to start its spring season. After losing to No. 7-ranked Nebraska in the NCAA Final Four last fall, the team will play a brief spring schedule. The team’s first stop will be West Lafayette, Indiana, where the Illini will take on the Purdue ...
Volleyball players earn spots abroad on national team
By Rachel Spencer, Assistant Sports Editor
March 28, 2019
Back in the fall, all eyes were on Illinois volleyball as the team hosted and won an NCAA regional tournament and advanced (all the way to the NCAA Final Four.) According to the team, the NCAA semifinal game was a monumental moment on a monumental stage, but three current Illini will soon be trading the...
Holzman named Gatorade National Player of the Year
By Eli Schuster, Sports Editor
January 23, 2019
Illinois volleyball continues to win. Illini incoming freshman Ellie Holzman was surprised with the Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award on Wednesday. https://twitter.com/Gatorade/status/1088164477642657792 “Oh, my gosh, it’s incredible,” Holzman told The Daily Illini....
Final Four demonstrates volleyball growth
By Eli Schuster, Sports Editor
January 17, 2019
A total of 18,113 fans filled the seats of the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Dec. 16. The city and arena weren’t playing host to the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves that Saturday night, but, instead, a sold-out crowd ready to watch the NCAA women’s volleyball national championship. The...
Final Four Notebook: A closer look at Illinois’ journey
By Eli Schuster, Sports Editor
December 14, 2018
One last ride For seniors Jordyn Poulter, Ali Bastianelli and Blayke Hranicka, a Final Four loss marked the last time the three would compete together in an Illini uniform. Embracing after the game, the players met with their teammates at center court, tears in their eyes. "I think you think about the thing...
Illinois drops heartbreaker to Cornhuskers in Final Four
By Eli Schuster, Sports Editor
December 14, 2018
In 2016, assistant coach Chris Tamas walked off the Nationwide Arena court in Columbus, Ohio after a Final Four loss sent the Nebraska Cornhuskers home. Two years later, the now head coach for Illinois volleyball walked off the Final Four court at the Target Center in Minneapolis with the same result,...
Unfamiliar venue will pose challenge for Illinois
By Brian Binz, Staff Writer
December 13, 2018
Whether the Illinois volleyball team likes it or not, this weekend marks the end of the road for their storybook season. With very few expecting them to challenge for a Big Ten title, they put together one of the best seasons any team in Champaign has had in years, riding a second-place Big Ten finish ...
Tamas to face off against familiar program
December 13, 2018
As the Illini head to Minneapolis for the Final Four for the first time since 2011, the program enters territory unfamiliar to every member of the team. For perspective, the last time the Illini made it to the national semifinals, the oldest members of the current team, seniors Jordyn Poulter, ...
Team now prepares to play 2017 champions
By Miles Powers-Huang, Staff Writer
December 10, 2018
Final Four-bound Although he’s typically known as a calm and cool personality, Illinois head volleyball coach Chris Tamas couldn’t hold back tears while reflecting on his team’s journey to qualify for the Final Four in his second season with the program. “To do it as a head coach, just t...
Illinois volleyball players come straight from the comics
By Eli Schuster, Sport Editor
December 10, 2018
First of all, I would like to apologize for any awkward eye contact. When I reminisce about my experience with the Illinois volleyball program, I can’t help but think about the numerous amounts of time I’ve locked eyes with one of the players and come up blank. Interviewing athletes has become ...
