Illinois volleyball looks to rebound from mediocre 2015 season
By James Boyd and Jacob Diaz, Staff writers
August 22, 2016
Filed under Special Sections, Sports, Volleyball, Welcome Back, Women's Sports
One thousand, nine hundred and seventy two kills and 5,656 attacks later, Jocelynn Birks’ career at the University is finally over. Birks finished her time in Champaign as Illinois’s all-time kills and attacks leader. Head coach Kevin Hambly and his team find themselves on the cusp of ushering in...
Illinois volleyball fell short of championship expectations
May 8, 2016
Filed under Sports, Volleyball, Women's Sports
The Illinois volleyball team came into the 2015 season with championship expectations but fell short in the Sweet Sixteen. Head coach Kevin Hambly’s squad finished the season with a 21-13 overall record but a 10-10 Big Ten record that resulted in a seventh-place regular season finish in conference p...
Illinois swept by Minnesota in Sweet 16
December 12, 2015
Filed under Sports
A Minnesota kill in the third set put an end to a tumultuous season for the Illinois volleyball team.The Illini entered Friday's Sweet 16 match in Des Moines, Iowa, against Big Ten champion Minnesota looking to accomplish a feat they failed to accomplish the past two seasons: advance past the Sw...
Illini volleyball ready to take on No. 2 Minnesota
By Lucas Wright
December 9, 2015
Filed under Sports
The inevitable has finally come for the Illinois volleyball team — it has to face a Big Ten powerhouse in the NCAA Tournament.Following the team’s wins over Southern Illinois in the first round and No. 15 Louisville in the second, the Illini will meet the top seed in their half of the bracket: the Minnes...
Illinois advances to Sweet Sixteen for third straight year
December 8, 2015
Filed under Sports
Tweet: #Illini volleyball advances to its third straight Sweet Sixteen behind strong performances from Stadick and PoulterWith its win on Saturday night, the Illinois volleyball team advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament for the third straight year.Illinois is one of six Big Ten teams to adva...
Illinois moves onto the Sweet Sixteen after four-set victory over Louisville
December 6, 2015
Filed under Sports
After dropping the first set against Louisville in a hostile environment, Illinois volleyball head coach Kevin Hambly had a message for his team: Calm down.Frantic play has been a cause for concern for the Illini over the course of an up-and-down regular season. But in their second-round NCAA tournamen...
Illinois looks to turn season around in NCAA tournament
December 2, 2015
Filed under Sports
Illinois volleyball head coach Kevin Hambly admits his team got lucky.When the NCAA tournament seeding was announced Sunday night, Illinois was placed in No. 15 Louisiville’s regional. The team will open the tournament against Southern Illinois, and will play the winner of the Louisville-Belmont mat...
Illini volleyball drops heartbreaking five-setter to Wisconsin
By Lucas Wright
November 19, 2015
Filed under Sports
Tweet: [email protected] falls in five sets to No. 10 BadgersAnother 50-50 game, another loss for the Illinois volleyball team.The No. 18 Illini (18-10, 9-8 Big Ten) fell in five sets to the No. 10 Wisconsin Badgers (21-6, 13-4) Wednesday night in Huff Hall.Head coach Kevin Hambly’s squad had c...
Illinois volleyball run at NCAA tournament begins with Wisconsin
By Lucas Wright
November 18, 2015
Filed under Sports
It’s hard for the Illinois volleyball team to not look ahead.The program has had lots of success in recent years under head coach Kevin Hambly, and NCAA tournament appearances are a common experience for the Illini.Yet, this year Illinois is situated firmly on the bubble with four regular season matc...
Illinois volleyball decimates Rutgers in three sets.
November 15, 2015
Filed under Sports
The Illinois volleyball team plays some of the best teams in the country week-to-week — that’s the nature of the Big Ten — but playing Rutgers is a bit of an exception.Saturday, the No. 17 Illini (18-9, 9-7)JT dismantled the struggling Scarlet Knights (4-24, 1-15)JT in three sets. Illino...
Illinois volleyball looks for redemption at Ohio State
By Lucas Wright
November 11, 2015
Filed under Sports
The Illinois volleyball team goes on the road to Columbus, Ohio, to take on Ohio State Wednesday. However, the Illini are bringing some extra commendations with them.Aside from riding a four-game winning streak into the Ohio State matchup, which is the team’s second-longest of the season, senior J...
Poulter regains starting setter position
November 9, 2015
Filed under Sports
Illinois freshman Jordyn PoulterCC returned to the starting setter position Saturday after she was replaced a week earlier by senior Alexis ViliunasCC.Poulter was put into the match against Northwestern on Wednesday. When she came in, the Illini were down 23-20 in the third set. The team would go on to lose the set ...
