There is no place like home for Illinois men’s tennis
May 8, 2016
After a match against Michigan two weeks ago at Atkins Tennis Center, the Illinois men’s tennis team celebrated its two seniors on the team, but one player didn’t feel like that match would be the last at the complex. Jared Hiltzik said he felt that he and his team would host a regional site. ...
2016 Illini of the Year: Isaiah Martinez
May 8, 2016
Entering his sophomore campaign, Illinois wrestler Isaiah Martinez was one-fourth of the way done with the goal he set coming into college: go undefeated and win four national championships. But on Jan. 23, one part of Martinez’s could no longer be accomplished. The date marked the soon-to-be tw...
Illinois baseball: Year in Review
May 8, 2016
Editor's note: The team was still playing at the time of print. Both coaches and players on the Illinois baseball team have stressed one word in particular when addressing their current season: inconsistency. “There’s days I think we take a step forward, and then there’s some days we’re med...
Injury-depleted Illini finish 15-19, fall in third round of Big Ten tournament
May 8, 2016
Illinois basketball (15-19, 12th in Big Ten) experienced many injuries and off-the-court issues this season. The first blow occurred when point guard Tracy Abrams tore his achilles tendon in July, forcing him to sit out the entire season for the second-straight year. Two other would-be starters ha...
Small working behind scenes to find big wins
May 8, 2016
In Mike Small’s 16 years coaching the Illinois men’s golf team, the team has won seven Big Ten titles and seemingly everything else at least once. As a result, Illinois needed to add a few more trophy cases in the Demirjian Golf Practice Facility since he started. While the Big Ten tournam...
Illini hockey underachieved throughout 2015-16 season
May 8, 2016
The Illinois hockey team seemed to have a stacked team on paper. Senior captain John Olen was returning for his final season at Illinois, where he has been labeled one of the best players in the history of the program. Sophomore forwards James McGing and Eric Cruickshank were poised to lead the scoring...
Schneider leads the way for 2016 Illinois women’s cross-country
May 8, 2016
The 2015 Illinois women’s cross-country team improved on many of its individual and overall performances from the 2014 season. The Illini opened their season by competing in the Illini Challenge, where the team finished first out three teams. Redshirt senior Alyssa Schneider led the way for the t...
Year in review: Illinois men’s gymnastics 2015-16
May 8, 2016
After battling through injury at the tail end of the year, the Illinois men's gymnastics team came in runner-up at the Big Ten championships and finished fourth in the country at the NCAA championships. The climax of Illinois’ season proved to be sophomore Brandon Ngai’s ascension through the p...
The 2015-16 Illinois men’s golf team was one of the best
By Ryan Wilson, Staff writer
May 8, 2016
It was a year to remember for the Illinois men’s golf team. The Illini are heading into the NCAA Tournament after having one of the most successful seasons in program history. The 2015-16 season saw senior leadership, a mid-season slump sandwiched in between wins and breakout performances by nearly eve...
Spring ball marks new era for Illinois football
By Joey Figueroa, Staff reporter
May 8, 2016
It’s not often that spring practices overshadow the football season that precedes them. But for Illinois football this year, such was the case. The hiring of Lovie Smith as the third head football coach within two years has been the big story on campus, and the star-studded coaching staff Smith bro...
Calling the shots: Goldstein acts as Illinois’ on-the-field coach
By Cole Henke, Staff reporter
May 8, 2016
On May 3 of last season, the Illinois baseball team held a four-run lead over Ohio State. When the bottom of the ninth came around, Illini catcher Jason Goldstein took his spot behind the plate. He looked up to see the Illini’s best pitcher – and soon-to-be sixth overall pick in the 2015 ...
Our kind of thing: a Fighting Illini family
November 17, 2015
Being a student-athlete is a tricky thing. It’s an emotional thing, it’s a mental thing, and it’s a physical thing.And as surprising as this may sound, I haven't found many outside of college sports that are able to do justice to just how amazing an experience it is.But balancing all of these feeli...
