Today's News-Gazette indicates that Shauna Green hired a new assistant, Liza Fruendt, who will be replacing Ass't Coach Jenna Giacone (sp?). But the article doesn't indicate what happened to Jenna. Any info on that?

No Illinois

IRVING, Texas – The National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame announced today the names on the 2025 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, including former Fighting Illini Kevin Hardy and Simeon Rice. This year's ballot features 77 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 34 coaches from the divisional ranks.

Eighteen former Illini are currently enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, with linebacker Dana Howard (2018) and defensive tackle Moe Gardner (2022) as the most recent inductees. Howard and Gardner joined 16 previously selected Fighting Illini in the hall of fame, including college football legends Red Grange (inducted 1951) and Dick Butkus (inducted 1983).

The announcement of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2025, with specific details to be announced in the future.

2025 Illinois College Football Hall of Fame Candidates

LB Kevin Hardy, Illinois: 1995 Butkus Award winner and consensus First Team All-American with 105 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and three interceptions ... Two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection who helped Illini to two bowl berths ... Team captain started 45 games (second all-time among Illini LBs) and ranks fifth all-time at Illinois in sacks (18) and eighth TFL (38) ... Chosen by Jacksonville as the No. 2 pick in the 1996 NFL draft.

LB Simeon Rice, Illinois: Two-time First Team All-American and three-time First Team All-Big Ten selection ... Holds conference and school record for career sacks (44.5) and Illini record for career tackles for loss (69) ... Set school record for single-season sacks (16) ... Chosen by Arizona as the No. 3 pick in the 1996 NFL draft.

Illini in the College Football Hall of Fame (18)

Alex Agase, G (inducted 1963)
Bob Blackman, coach (inducted 1987)
Al Brosky, DB (inducted 1998)
Dick Butkus, LB (inducted 1983)
Chuck Carney, WR (inducted 1966)
J.C. Caroline, RB (inducted 1980)
Pete Elliot, coach (inducted 1993)
Moe Gardner, DT (inducted 2022)
Jim Grabowski, RB (inducted 1995)
Harold "Red" Grange, RB (inducted 1951)
Edward K. Hall, coach (inducted 1951)
Dana Howard, LB (inducted 2018)
Bart Macomber, RB (inducted 1972)
Bernie Shively, G (inducted 1982)
David Williams, WR (inducted 2005)
George W. Woodruff, coach (inducted 1963)
Claude "Buddy" Young, RB (inducted 1968)
Robert Zuppke, coach (inducted 1951)

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Monday: Five-Star Countdown

Tuesday: New Rivals250 unveiled | Gorney goes position-by-position | Biggest risers

Wednesday: New offensive position rankings released | QB rankings breakdown | RB rankings breakdown | WR/TE rankings breakdown | OL rankings breakdown

Thursday: New defensive position rankings released | DL rankings breakdown | LB rankings breakdown | DB rankings breakdown | ATH rankings breakdown

Friday: New state rankings released | Who is No. 1 in each state?

Saturday: Roundtable on the 2026 rankings

Trimble is now a four-star prospect.

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STORY | STATE RANKINGS | ILLINOIS

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Illinois baseball (35-20) fell to No. 2 Kentucky (42-14), 6-1, today at Kentucky Proud Park. The loss sends the Illini to loser's bracket of the Lexington Regional.

Payton Hutchings got the start for the Orange and Blue, tossing 5.0 innings of three-run ball, yielding four hits and striking out two. Ben Plumley worked a scoreless inning out of the bullpen.

Brody Harding led the way at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After the two teams traded scoreless frames to begin the game, the Wildcats took a 2-0 lead in the second on a two-run homer.

The Illini cut the lead in half in the fourth when Harding singled home Jacob Schroeder with two outs in the inning.

Kentucky got that run back in the fifth to make it 3-1 and would also add a run in the seventh and two more in the ninth to hand Illinois the 6-1 defeat.

UP NEXT

The Fighting Illini look to stave off elimination from the Lexington Regional when they take on Indiana State tomorrow morning. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT.



GAME NOTES
» Brody Harding went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.
» Has two-out RBI in both games of the Lexington Regional.
» Connor Milton went 1-for-4.
» Has reached base safely in 21-straight games.
» Drake Westcott went 1-for-4.
» Extended his hitting streak to six games...has gone 10-for-27 (.370) during that span with two doubles, two home runs and nine RBI.
» Camden Janik had his 33-game on-base streak snapped.
» Payton Hutchings took the loss despite his solid start.
» 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R/ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
» Season high in innings pitched
» Ben Plumley worked a scoreless inning in relief.
» Has not allowed an earned run in his last 8.1 innings of work (6 G).
» Illinois pitchers limited Kentucky to just 1-for-7 (.143) with runners in scoring position.
» Illinois pitchers faced 40 Kentucky hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and 11 fly balls while striking out five

Illinois beat Indiana State tonight 4-1. Congrats Illini!

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini women's basketball head coach Shauna Green has announced the addition of Irene Noya Catoira to the program. Noya Catoira – a true freshman – has signed a Big Ten Tender of Financial Aid with the University of Illinois and is set to join the program beginning with the 2024-25 season.

Noya Catoira is a 6-foot-3-inch forward from Vilagarcía de Arousa, Pontevedra, Spain, where she attended Institut Joaquim Blume.

She has represented Spain on the international stage, making her debut at age 15 in the Ciudad de Toledo International Tournament. Noya Catoira helped Spain to a runner-up finish at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 U17 Europe Cup following a second-place finish at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 U17 Europe Cup Qualifier.

From 2022-24, Noya Catoira has played for Segle XXI in the Spain-LF2 league during which the team won the Group B regular season championship both seasons. During the most recent 2023-24 season, she appeared in 22 games while averaging 19 minutes a game to go along with 6.5 points and 4.8 rebounds. The team went 25-1 during the 2023-24 season. In 2022-23, Noya Catoira appeared in 24 games while averaging nearly 12 minutes per game. She registered 3.7 points per game and 2.8 rebounds an outing while the team posted a 21-5 record.

HEAD COACH SHAUNA GREEN ON THE ADDITION OF IRENE NOYA CATOIRA:
"I am super excited to have Irene join our FamILLy! Irene brings size, length, and a versatile skillset to our program. She is someone who can play multiple positions and stretches the floor. I believe her best basketball is ahead of her and we can't wait to get her here to get to work!"

IRENE NOYA CATOIRA ON WHY SHE CHOSE ILLINOIS:
"I am absolutely thrilled to dive into this new chapter of my life in Illinois. It's a dream come true to go study there, and I can't wait to arrive, meet everyone in person, and get to know the team. I-L-L!"

I’ll put all posts about the portal here over the next few days.

Players have until Tuesday to submit their paperwork to transfer.

Schools have 48 hours to process it so the portal will continue to populate through Thursday.

Humrichous decision should be today or tomorrow.

A big wing is the top priority in terms of NIL $. That picture should become clearer very soon.

Multiple options for a big including overseas, portal, etc.

Illinois could still lose one more player to the portal.

I don’t see them spending much on a replacement. Maybe take a flyer on a kid to be 12/13th man.

Questions?

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Tuesday: Five-Star Countdown

Wednesday: New Rivals250 unveiled | Gorney goes position-by-position | Biggest risers

Thursday: New offensive position rankings released | QB rankings breakdown | RB rankings breakdown | WR/TE rankings breakdown | OL rankings breakdown

Friday: New defensive position rankings released | DL rankings breakdown | LB rankings breakdown | DB rankings breakdown | ATH rankings breakdown

Saturday: New state rankings released | Who is No. 1 in each state?