Fighting Illini Fans:

Saturday was a great day for Illini Nation!

Thank you so much for the amazing atmosphere you created at the Assembly Hall. You started the day by creating one of the loudest and most energized scenes in the history of ESPN College GameDay. Digger Phelps and Rece Davis both singled out the Orange Krush for creating an electric environment for the national television audience. Our students, band, cheerleaders and Illinettes deserve special recognition for making Illinois look outstanding during the broadcast. I can’t thank you enough.

We followed it up with an incredible packed house in the big win over Michigan State. That was the loudest I remember hearing the Assembly Hall in years. There is no doubt that the home court advantage played a huge role in our win.

We have three very important home games remaining on our schedule in Ohio State, Minnesota and Wisconsin. I hope you can continue to make The Hall the best home court advantage in the Big Ten as we head down the stretch.

Go Illini!

Bruce Weber

Congratulations to the Fighting Illini Men’s Basketball team on their recent win against Michigan State!

We decided to whip out this classic for your enjoyment:

“Edit all you want, you’re still runnin’!”

The Illini Volleyball Team is looking to set an NCAA record for attendance at their game vs. Minnesota on Friday. The game will be held in Assembly Hall in conjunction with this year’s Illini Madness. Illini Madness marks the start of the 2009-2010 basketball season and will also take place on Friday at Assembly Hall.

Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber and volleyball coach Kevin Hambly are combining forces for what promises to be an historic event – “Spike the Record at Illini Madness.” Both coaches have been extremely supportive of each other’s programs through their times at Illinois. Each year Weber plays a visible role during the Illini’s Annual “Stuff Huff” event, for example.

Illinois volleyball will be making its second appearance at Assembly Hall. The Illini and Gophers, both ranking in the top 10, will square off at 6:30 pm. Under the direction of former Olympic Assistant Coach Hambly, Illinois returns six starters from the 2008 NCAA Sweet 16 team, including second-team All-American Laura DeBruler. The Gophers, under former Illini and legendary coach Mike Hebert, join Illinois as potential contenders to dethrone two-time NCAA titlist Penn State as Big Ten champions.

Current Regular Season Attendance Record:
13,412–Nebraska (3) vs. LSU (0), Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, Nebraska, September 12, 2008.

TV: Friday’s match will be shown tape delayed on the Big Ten Network Sunday at 5 p.m. CDT with Randy Rhinehart (play-by-play) and Jim Stone (analysis) providing the call.

Radio: The match will be heard live on fightingillini.com and WDWS (AM 1400) with Dave Loane (play-by-play) and Mike Trame (analysis) providing the call.

Tickets for the event are free, and doors open at 5:30pm. Admission will be denied once the building is full. The volleyball game will begin at 6:30pm.  

Go Illini!

Head to Huff Hall tonight to watch the Woman’s Volleyball Team battle Cincinnati. Tonight is a special event with FREE BBQ to the first 1,000 students starting at 5:30pm outside the hall. There will also be a special appearance by Bruce Weber and the Men’s Basketball Team.

This is the Illini’s first home match of the season, so come out and support the team. The game starts at 7pm.

Stuff Huff, wear orange, and Go Illini! 

No. 14 Illini host ‘Stuff Huff’ Friday – FightingIllini.com

Jeff Jordan has recently elected not to continue with the Fighting Illini basketball team. Jordan has been a reserve point guard for the last two years. He intends to stay at Illinois and focus on his academics.

“I loved playing for the Fighting Illini and appreciate the support I was given by my teammates, coaches and the great fans here,” Jordan said. “But I have come to the point where I’m ready to focus on life after basketball. I will concentrate on earning my degree from the University of Illinois and the opportunities that await upon graduating.”

He appeared in 59 career games, totaling 58 points, 42 assists and 24 rebounds. Jordan averaged 8.4 minutes as a sophomore after playing 5.3 minutes per game as a true freshman. He scored a career-high five points vs. Detroit (Dec. 20, 2008) and at Purdue (Jan. 19, 2008), and had a career-high six assists vs. Chicago State (Dec. 10, 2008).

“Jeff was an invaluable member of our team the past two seasons and I thank him for his contribution to our program,” coach Bruce Weber said. “He brought great work ethic to the gym and pushed himself, as well as his teammates, each and every day to improve. We will miss him, but we fully support the decision he has made. When the game of basketball has been a top priority throughout your life, it is very difficult to transition away from playing. I know Jeff has given this much thought. He is an outstanding, mature young man who will be successful in whatever areas he pursues in the future.”

Good luck Jeff, and maybe I’ll take you on at the ARC sometime!

Jordan Leaves Illinois Basketball Team – FightingIllini.com

The annual Illini Day at Wrigley field has been set for May 31st. The event is organized by the Chicago I-FUND and tickets will be available to the public on Thursday, May 7, at 10 am.

The Chicago Cubs will be taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers at 7:05 p.m. University of Illinois Head Football Coach Ron Zook will be throwing out the first pitch and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Bruce Weber will be singing the seventh-inning stretch.

Check out this opportunity to paint the stadium orange! (It could use a new paint job.)

Annual Illini Day at Wrigley Set for May 31 – FightingIllini.com

Illinois Men’s Basketball Coach Bruce Weber will coach in the Hersey’s College All Star Game on Friday. The game is scheduled for 3:30pm CT at Ford Field in Detroit and will be televised on CBS College Sports.

The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) has selected rosters for the game, featuring some of the top seniors in the nation. Weber will coach the Reese’s All-Stars, along with Purdue’s Matt Painter. Players on the Reese’s roster are Tyrese Rice (Boston College), Orlando Mendez-Valdez (Western Kentucky), Josh Akognon (Cal State Fullerton), Alex Ruoff (West Virginia), Josh Bostic (Findlay), B.J. Raymond (Xavier), Alfred Aboya (UCLA), Marcus Landry (Wisconsin), John Bryant (Santa Clara) and Josh Heytvelt (Gonzaga).

Good luck Bruce!

Weber to Coach in Hershey’s College All-Star Game – FightingIllini.com

After losing a heart-breaker to Purdue in the Big Ten Semifinals, the Illini Men’s Basketball Team has earned a No. 5 seed in the 2009 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament. They will face No. 12 seed Western Kentucky in Portland on Thursday, March 19, in the opening round.

The Illini finished in a tie for second place in the Big Ten during the regular season and are back in the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in the last 10 years after a one-year hiatus. Overall, it is Illinois’ 28th appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Congratulations to Bruce Weber and the Illini Basketball Team. Good luck and Go Illini!

Illinois Earns No. 5 Seed in NCAA Tournament

Print out your 2009 NCAA Tournament Bracket HERE!!

Tonight is ILLINOIS NIGHT at Assembly Hall. The Fighting Illini Men’s Basketball team will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes at 6:00pm. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN. In honor of the Inauguration, the Illini are giving away 16,000 American Flags. The fans are asked to wave them during the opening tip-off to “create an amazing visual for a national audience.”

The Illini are currently ranked third in the Big Ten with a 3-2 conference record and a 15-3 overall record. The Buckeyes also have a 3-2 Big Ten record and a 13-3 overall record. The Illini have been having an awesome season, and tonight’s game is sure to be a good one.

I know you don’t have homework, so cheer on the Illini.

Wear orange, and GO ILLINI!

I overheard some chatter today about Homecoming. The students were wondering why we have this event and if it’s really worth making a big deal about. I mean… What’s the deal with Homecoming?

The purpose of this celebration is to welcome alumni and students back to campus. To bring together old and new Illini during a week of spirit filled events. It gives us all a chance to “fall into nostalgia” as Chancellor Herman put it. This week should be seen as an opportunity to celebrate the past and dream about the future. The Illini pride is splashed across campus like the explosion of a giant orange and blue Stay-Puff marshmallow. It should be embraced by students and alumni alike. If you are not in the spirit yet… hurry up. It is already Wednesday.

There is a lot of Homecoming left, however. Some of the best events are yet to come. Be sure to check out the parade and pep rally on Friday, the football game and world’s basketball practice on Saturday. That’s right, world’s largest basketball practice. Following the football game, stay in your seats. Just after the final buzzer, construction will begin on a basketball court built on top of the field turf (an engineering feat so daring it can only be accomplished at UIUC). Upon completion, Coach Bruce Weber will lead the rest of the Illini basketball team in a large outdoor practice. Be there.

Check out the full schedule of events for details.

So come on… wear orange… feel the ‘nois… and go Illini!