Illini men's tennis kick off season at home
By Mike Gasick
January 21, 2016
Filed under Sports
Tweet: @IlliniMTennis opens season against Valpo and Notre Dame this weekendHoping to build off a 27-5 campaign from last Spring, the Illinois men’s tennis team will return to action on Friday against Notre Dame and Valparaiso. The Illini enter the season at No. 7 in the ITA rankings. The team was ran...
Illinois needs to play desperate Tuesday to knock off Indiana
By Alex Roux
January 19, 2016
Filed under Sports
It’s easy to recognize a team playing with desperation.We often see desperation from teams with their backs against the wall, with no other choice but to eat or be eaten. If a team plays desperate in college basketball it usually means bodies are flying across the floor for loose balls, defenders a...
Three former Illinois men’s wheelchair basketball players qualify for Paralympics
By Ryan Wilson
January 12, 2016
Filed under Sports
Illinois’ wheelchair basketball program continues to contribute players to Team USA for the 2016 Rio Paralympics. Illinois women’s wheelchair basketball players Mega Blunk and Gail Gaeng qualified for the U.S. women’s team and now former Illini Will Waller, Steve Serio and Brian Bell have been named to the 16-player men’s team.The men are joining a team with veteran P...
Illinois women’s wheelchair basketball players make USA Paralympic team
By Ryan Wilson
January 11, 2016
Filed under Sports
Two Illinois women’s wheelchair basketball players have qualified for their first Paralympics. Megan Blunk and Gail Gaeng will compete on the U.S. team at the 2016 Rio Paralympics on Sept. 7-18.They will join an 11-player team, 10 of which were members of the team that won gold at t...
Groce must get creative to counter interior mismatches against Purdue
By Alex Roux
January 10, 2016
Filed under Sports
There are bad matchups in college basketball, and then there are catastrophic ones.The way Illinois stacks up against No. 20 Purdue falls under the latter category.The Boilermakers visit State Farm Center Sunday, bringing their trio of towering big men with them. At 7 feet, 260 pounds, AJ Hammons is an e...
Illinois women’s wheelchair basketball players trying out for 2016 Rio Paralympic Games
By Ryan Wilson
January 4, 2016
Filed under Sports
The U.S. National women's wheelchair basketball team is holding its tryouts for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and Illinois is well-represented.Nearly a third of all the players are on the Illinois women’s wheelchair basketball team. Representing the Illini in Birmingham, Alabama, this weekend are&...
Why Fall 2015 was a sad semester for DI Sports
December 23, 2015
Filed under Sports
The Daily Illini sports staff lost another member of its extended family when former staffer Deep Chatterjee passed away.Deep hadn't done any work for us since 2014 ended — he wasn't a journalism student, and wasn't integrated into the journalism community like Brett Lerner, who passed away in Octo...
Wilson adds search firm to Illini AD hunt
December 17, 2015
Filed under Sports
Interim Illinois Chancellor Barbara Wilson announced Wednesday that the University had selected an executive search firm to assist her previously chosen search committee with hiring a new athletic director.The search firm in question is Korn Ferry, the world's largest executive search firm, which has...
Illini escape UIC, but are haunted by second-half woes again
By Alex Roux
December 13, 2015
Filed under Sports
Over the last five years, Illinois basketball’s annual United Center game has evolved into an experience comparable to getting a root canal or waiting in line at the DMV.It isn’t pleasant. It isn’t fun. In its last six regular season games at United Center, Illinois has: lost to UIC, lost (badly) t...
As hype around Illini hoops fades, Illinois must use softer December slate to improve
By Alex Roux
December 5, 2015
Filed under Sports
A lot of eyes were on Illinois basketball Wednesday night.State Farm Center’s makeover was revealed, Lou Henson was honored and the ACC/Big Ten Challenge showcased the Illini against Notre Dame in primetime. A win would have injected some life into the beleaguered Illini fan base and given John Gr...
UI tasks search committee with finding new athletic director
November 24, 2015
Filed under Sports
Illinois has a search committee for a new athletic director.Interim Chancellor Barbara Wilson announced in a press release Friday the eight people that will aid in the search for a replacement for interim athletic director Paul Kowalcyzk, who has been on the job for a little more...
You have to see it to believe it: State Farm Center update
By Alex Roux
November 6, 2015
Filed under Sports
When you walk out of the north tunnel and onto the arena floor, the first thing you notice is the seats.Formerly drab and gray, the seats at State Farm Center have had color injected in them like they landed in Oz. The old gray seats in the 200-level had been torn out in favor of new navy blue one...
