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The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini
Matt Stepp

Matt Stepp, Visual Director

Hey there! I’m Matt, I’m currently a first-year majoring in Graphic Design, with a minor in media. I started here at the Daily Illini in the fall of 2023 as a staff photographer, and now serve as the Visual Director for the Daily Illini. I have always loved photography, you will probably see me around campus shooting sports and other events. I’m also an artist and love watercolor painting and illustration. If you’re a swimmer or enjoy the pool, you may see me at the ARC or CRCE working as a lifeguard as well, I’m never away from a pool for too long!

Protesters stand at the north side of the Transit Plaza holding banners that read “Genocide Joe has got to go, Ceasefire Now” and “How many deaths until UIUC deinvests?”

[Photo] UPDATED: UI students flood streets in support of ActNow4Palestine protest

By Mary Piacente, News Editor • April 24, 2024
Sophomore Violeta Martinez returns the ball in her match on Feb. 17, which was cut short because the Illini won the meet automatically.

[Photo] No. 32 Illinois women’s tennis sweeps Minnesota, falls in competitive match at Wisconsin

By Sahil Mittal, Senior Sports Reporter • April 10, 2024
The Illinois mens hockey team celebrate a goal in a game against Illinois State on Feb. 23. The Ice Arena is home to both Mens and Womens Club Hockey teams, as well as local hockey, figure skating and speed skating groups.

[Photo] Students rejoice over Ice Arena referendum

By Ethan Oskroba, Staff Writer • March 16, 2024
Senior Guard Makira Cook holds the ball at the top of the key against Nebraska on March 3. Cook led the Illini with 20 points on 8-13 on Monday’s win over Washington State.

[Photo] Illinois women’s basketball defeats Washington State, advances to WBIT Championship

By Tess Eken, Assistant Sports Editor • April 2, 2024
Guard Terrence Shannon Jr. enters the game against Nebraska on Feb. 4. Terrence had a season high of 40 points in a game against Nebraska on March 16.

[Photo] No. 3 Illinois men’s basketball gears up for Sweet 16 showdown against No. 2 Iowa State

By James Kim, Sports Editor • March 28, 2024
Junior Megan Heuser prepares to receive in a match against Brown University on Feb 17.

[Photo] Illinois falls at Iowa but bounces back with win over Nebraska

By Sahil Mittal, Staff Writer • March 30, 2024
Sophomore Violeta Martinez returns the ball in a match against Brown University on Feb. 7.

[Photo] No. 41 Illinois continues conference play at home against in-state rival Northwestern

By Sahil Mittal, Staff Writer • March 30, 2024
Orange Chicken and white rice from Chopstix on Green Street in Champaign.

[Photo] Best of CU | Best Chinese food: Chopstix

By Lisa Chasanov, Managing Editor for Reporting • March 28, 2024
Kloe, a band from the Chicago Suburbs, performs at “Barn Fest” at The Barn. The Barn packed its living room, filling to capacity on March 24.

[Photo] Best of CU | Best House Show Venue: The Barn

By Dhruv Baronia, Staff Writer • March 28, 2024
Venus Overdrive, a Champaign-native band, performs before Kangaroo Court takes the stage at the Rose Bowl Tavern in Urbana on Nov. 4.

[Photo] Best of CU | Best Local Band: Venus Overdrive

By Jessie Wang, Assistant News Editor • March 28, 2024
Patrons sit inside The Rose Bowl Tavern on Race Street, and order drinks on a Friday night in Urbana on March 2. Rose Bowl Tavern often hosts musical acts on their stage.

[Photo] Best of CU | Best Off-Campus Bar: Rose Bowl Tavern

By Jordan Goodhart, Staff Writer • March 28, 2024
Sophomore McKenna Schaefbauer celebrates winning a game against Brown University on Saturday.

[Photo] Conference schedule continues for No. 34 Illinois women’s tennis with two match road trip

By Conor Blount, Assistant Sports Editor • March 22, 2024
Junior Megan Heuser celebrates winning a set against Brown University on Feb. 17.

[Photo] 2-0 start to conference play sets Illinois women’s tennis back on track

By Conor Blount, Assistant Sports Editor • March 21, 2024
Banner The Eric Show hangs at the Illini Union gallery during the opening reception on Mar. 6.

[Photo] The Eric Show empowers young artists, honors local legacy

By Stephanie Orellana, Staff Writer • March 11, 2024
The entire team gathers after the Senior Day ceremony after the game against Nebraska on Mar. 3.

[Photo] Illinois women’s basketball season concludes with loss against Maryland in Big Ten tournament 

By Tess Eken, Staff Writer • March 7, 2024
Junior Megan Heuser celebrates winning a set against Brown University on Feb. 17.

[Photo] Illinois women’s tennis defeats Brown, Marshall, stays undefeated at home

By Sahil Mittal, Staff Writer • February 22, 2024
Sophomore Kenta Miyoshi returns a ball against Duke on Feb. 2.

[Photo] No. 11 Illinois men’s tennis set to host No. 1 Ohio State 

By Rachel Oh, Staff Writer • March 6, 2024
Junior Karlis Ozolins pumps his fist after winning a point against Duke in the match on Feb. 2.

[Photo] Illinois sweeps doubleheader against No. 14 Baylor, Eastern Illinois

By Naman Goyal, Staff Writer • March 4, 2024
Sophomore Violeta Martinez returns the ball in her match against Brown University on Feb. 17.

[Photo] Illinois women’s tennis falls to No. 25 Washington despite impressive showing in doubles

By Conor Blount, Assistant Sports Editor • March 7, 2024
Champaign Fire Department crews responding to a fire at 212 S. First St. on Nov 7.

[Photo] METCAD 911 not available to receive calls

By Aidan Miller-Hisgen and Jessie Wang • March 7, 2024
Senior Makira Cook brings the ball down the court during the second half of Sundays game.

[Photo] Illinois hosts Nebraska on Senior Day for regular season finale

By Adam Rosen, Assistant Sports Editor • March 3, 2024
Senior Genesis Bryant drives in on a Nebraska player during the game on Sunday.

[Photo] Illinois women’s basketball finishes regular season with 74-73 Senior Day win

By Tess Eken, Staff Writer • March 3, 2024
Senior Hunter Heck returns the ball in a game against Duke on Feb, 2.

[Photo] No. 23 Illinois men’s tennis set to play Eastern Illinois, No. 14 Baylor 

By Rachel Oh, Staff Writer • March 2, 2024
03.02.24_UnofficialSat_M.Stepp_10

[Photo] Unofficial 2024: Live updates post-leap day

By News Staff • March 1, 2024
Freshman Foreward Aiden Taylor lines up for a faceoff in the game against Illinois State on Friday.

[Photo] ‘It all comes down to this’

By Jonathan Mathew, Staff Writer • February 23, 2024
A collection of Platos complete works, written in Greek, recently acquired by the Main Library.

[Photo] UI library acquires first-edition Plato manuscript

By Andy Cho, Contributing Writer • February 20, 2024
Senior Alex Petrov celebrates winning a point against Duke on Feb. 2.

[Photo] No. 23 Illinois men’s tennis rallies to victory over Notre Dame

By Naman Goyal, Staff Writer • February 19, 2024
Sophomore Kenta Miyoshi celebrates his victory against Duke on Friday.

[Photo] No. 23 Illinois men’s tennis travels to Notre Dame for season’s seventh match

By Rachel Oh, Staff Writer • February 16, 2024
Freshman defenseman Nathan Dash defends against DePaul on Jan. 19.

[Photo] Illinois hockey looks to end 5-game skid against Alabama this weekend

By Jonathan Mathew, Staff Writer • February 15, 2024
Junior Kasia Treiber shakes hands with Brown opponent after winning her match on Saturday.

[Photo] Illinois women’s tennis continues homestand with back-to-back weekends

By Conor Blount, Assistant Sports Editor • February 17, 2024
An excavator sits outside Saint Andrews Church, between Daniel and Chalmers street on Friday.

[Photo] Church, apartment demolished, make way for Smile Student Living complex

By Aidan Miller-Hisgen, Staff Writer • February 8, 2024
Senior Hunter Heck celebrates winning a game against Duke on Friday.

[Photo] Illinois men’s tennis knocks off No. 8 Duke, No. 17 North Carolina

February 5, 2024
Sophomore Kenta Miyoshi serves in a match, winning 2 sets to 1, against Duke on Feb. 2.

[Photo] No. 5 Illinois men’s gymnastics takes down No. 1 Oklahoma

By Laura Mendes, Staff Writer • January 29, 2024
Senior defenseman Atticus Helfer guards the puck against DePaul on Jan. 19.

[Photo] Illinois hockey heads to McKendree for road doubleheader

By Jonathan Mathew, Staff Writer • February 2, 2024
A refrigerated truck was wedged under the Campustown bridge between Neil and First streets on Tuesday night.

[Photo] Refrigerated truck stuck under Campustown bridge

By Aidan Miller-Hisgen and Jessie Wang • January 30, 2024
Junior defensemen Joe Dorion blocks the DePaul goaltenders view in front of the net during the game against Depaul on Jan. 19.

[Photo] Rematch series with Purdue Northwest lies on horizon for Illinois hockey

By Jonathan Mathew, Staff Writer • January 26, 2024
Senior Foreward Alexander Matveev celebrates scoring a goal against DePaul in the game on Friday.

[Photo] Illinois hockey splits weekend series against DePaul

By Jonathan Mathew, Staff Writer • January 23, 2024
Dom Flemons performed at the Rose Bowl Tavern in Urbana on Saturday.

[Photo] Dom Flemons brings award-winning folk music to Rose Bowl Tavern

By A. Oishii Basu, Staff Writer • January 28, 2024
On Jan. 25, Facilities & Services worked to remove snow accumulation from the winter storm that morning. Early in the day, there was heavy snowfall and conditions were slippery.

Gallery | DI Photo year in review: Favorite captured moments, photos of 2023

By Jacob Slabosz, James Hoeck, Jack Larson, Angel Saldivar, Candice Zhou, Elena Baker, Jacoby Banks-Hull, Eric Chiang, Anika Khandavalli, Sofi Klein, Olivia McAfoos, Anh Khoi-Pham, Isaac Pinkus, Emma Pyatt, Damini Rana, Anne Schmidt, Alyssa Shih, Matt Stepp, Lucas Sun and Daniel Zhou • December 31, 2023
Tati Scaife

[Photo] Review | Heads turn for CFE.4

By Lika Lezhava, Editor-in-Chief • December 5, 2023
The iconic red neon sign of Joes Brewery.

[Photo] ‘This is my legacy’: How students masterminded Joe’s Brewery’s themed nights

By Caroline Sweeney, Staff Writer • November 28, 2023
Students walk past the Everitt Laboratory, the home for the Department of Bioengineering on Nov. 1.

[Photo] National Institute of Health awards $1.7 million grant to bioengineering research team

By Reyanna Paul, Staff Writer • November 20, 2023
Graduate student middle blocker Kennedy Colins leads the Fighting Illini out of the locker room before the game against the Wildcats on Wednesday.

[Photo] Illinois volleyball rebounds with straight set win over Iowa

By Brendan Recka, Staff Writer • November 12, 2023
Kennedy Collins and Brooke Mosher block a Northwestern dig at Huff Hall on Nov. 1..

[Photo] Illinois volleyball looks to bounce back against Iowa

By Eric Brewer, Staff Writer • November 10, 2023
Firefighters with the Champaign Police Department attempt to put out the flames at a building on the corner of First and Clark streets.

[Photo] UPDATED: Fire at intersection of First, Clark streets

By Lisa Chasanov, Ella Narag and Michael Bales • November 7, 2023
Venus Overdrive performs before Kangaroo Court at the Rose Bowl Tavern on Saturday night.

[Photo] Kangaroo Court, Diet Lite, Venus Overdrive perform at Rose Bowl Tavern, discuss music industry

By Dhruv Baronia, Staff Writer • November 6, 2023
Junior libero Caroline Barnes receives a serve in the game against Northwestern on Wednesday.

[Photo] Illinois ends 6-match winning streak in straight set loss against No. 2 Wisconsin 

By Eric Brewer, Staff Writer • November 4, 2023
A basket full of popular Halloween candies spills onto the ground.

[Photo] The DI ranks Halloween candy — and you can’t argue with it

By Lisa Chasanov, Lillie Salas, Lika Lezhava, Jacob Slabosz and Jack Larson • October 30, 2023
Postdoctoral researchers Seemesh Bhaskar, Renato Azevedo and Samuel Olatunji stand in front of the fountain at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center for Homecoming Kickoff on Oct. 15. Official Homecoming events occurred from Oct. 15-22.

Gallery | Homecoming 2023 recap

By James Hoeck, Angel Saldivar, Candice Zhou, Elena Baker, Jacoby Banks-Hull, Anika Khandavalli, Sofi Klein, Alyssa Shih and Matt Stepp • October 28, 2023
The Studio is located on the lower level of the Champaign Public Library. It is over 8,000 square feet and includes a makerspace, recording booths, a gaming area and more.

[Photo] Champaign Public Library reveals The Studio

By Reyanna Paul, Contributing Writer • October 10, 2023
The statue of Dick Butkus located outside of the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Performance Center.

[Photo] Former Illinois linebacker, Chicago Bears icon Dick Butkus dies at 80

By Lisa Chasanov and Adam Rosen • October 5, 2023
The inside of Memorial Stadium was filled with smoke, and thicks clouds came from multiple entrances.

[Photo] Fire reported at Memorial Stadium

By Jessie Wang, Jacob Slabosz and Lisa Chasanov • October 3, 2023
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