Illini lose spring season, workouts
By Josh Pietsch, Staff Writer
April 4, 2020
The outbreak of COVID-19 didn’t cut the Illinois volleyball team’s season short, but it is already starting to affect their 2020 fall season. A loss of workouts, team-bonding and time for planning their upcoming season puts the Illini in an unexpectedly difficult position. The spring season is very i...
Eli Sharping named new volleyball assistant
By Brendyn Jones, Assistant Sports Editor
February 13, 2020
Illinois volleyball has found its new assistant coach. Illinois athletics announced on Tuesday, via a press release, that head coach Chris Tamas has named Eli Sharping the new assistant coach for the volleyball program. The team was in need of a new assistant staffer after former coach Alfred Reft...
Illini volleyball assistant coach Reft accepts San Diego job
By Brendyn Jones, Assistant Sports Editor
February 5, 2020
Illinois volleyball’s assistant coach Alfred “Alfee” Reft has accepted the associate head coaching position with the University of San Diego, Illinois Athletics announced this week. Reft, who spent two seasons with the Illini, helped coach the team to a 48-18 record in those two seasons a...
Quade named AVCA All-American Honorable Mention following senior season
December 18, 2019
Illinois volleyball senior Jacqueline Quade earned her second consecutive All-American accolade after being named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American Honorable Mention. The All-American nod not only concludes Quade's career as an Illini but also adds to All-Big Ten Preseason an...
Fall sports lose traction throughout season, some exceptions
By Meghan Rest, Sports Editor
December 12, 2019
This fall, Illinois experienced memorable victories and tragic losses at nearly every turn. Some Illini teams saw serious growth in the latter part of 2019, while others fell victim to expectation-shattering campaigns. Despite what record books and scoreboards may suggest, the Illini were full of surpr...
Illinois falls to Utah at NCAA Tournament
By Brendyn Jones, Staff writer
December 9, 2019
On Friday, the Illinois volleyball team concluded its season in the first round of the NCAA tournament, losing in five sets against No. 17 Utah. Illinois gave up the first set, but won the next 2. Utah edged Illinois in the fourth set, and then a mid-set run by Utah in the fifth sealed the win for t...
No. 24 Illinois earns at-large bid to NCAA Tournament
By Meghan Rest, Sports Editor
December 3, 2019
Head coach Chris Tamas and the No. 24-ranked Illinois volleyball team secured their third-straight NCAA tournament bid in as many years Sunday. The Illini will travel to Provo, Utah, to take on the Utah Utes at Brigham Young University's Smith Fieldhouse in the first round of the tournament on Friday...
Illinois defeats Northwestern in final regular-season match
By Brendyn Jones, Staff Writer
November 28, 2019
In their last regular-season match at Huff Hall, seniors Jaqueline Quade and Ashlyn Fleming led the No. 24 Illinois volleyball team (16-12, 11-8) to victory over Northwestern (13-18, 4-15). Quade ended the night with 20 kills on a .366 hitting percentage, while Fleming contributed a dozen kills with e...
Illinois volleyball prepares to face Maryland and Ohio State on the road
By Brendyn Jones, Staff Writer
November 21, 2019
The No. 25 Illinois volleyball team is 13-12 and 8-8 in the Big Ten. With four matches left in the regular season, the Illini are just above .500 before heading into the postseason and need to earn a few more wins before heading into the playoffs. This weekend, the team will travel to face Maryland (13-15, 5...
O’Brien earns Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors
By Meghan Rest, Sports Editor
November 18, 2019
Junior libero Morgan O'Brien became the third Illini volleyball player to earn Big Ten Player of the Week accolades this season. The conference recognition follows O'Brien's performance against No. 8 Penn State and Rutgers this weekend. No. 25 Illinois volleyball's backcourt threat registered 41 digs...
Illini bounce back after Nittany Lions’ loss
By Brendyn Jones, Staff Writer
November 18, 2019
It was a tale of two sweeps in Champaign this weekend for the No. 25 Illinois volleyball team. Illinois lost to No. 7 Penn State in three sets on Friday (25-15, 25-22, 25-18), but it also won in three sets against Rutgers on Saturday (25-11, 25-15, 25-20). The first time Illinois and Penn State faced...
Illini fall to Wolverines, look forward to weekend matches
By Brendyn Jones, Staff Writer
November 13, 2019
The No. 25 Illinois volleyball team (12-11, 7-7) will return to Huff Hall after being on the road for the last two matches. Illinois will host Penn State (19-4, 12-2) on Friday and Rutgers (8-17, 2-12) on Saturday. The Illini lost their last match-up last weekend against the Wolverines 3-1 in Ann Arbor, Michig...
