Basketball

For just the second time in the last 19 events, Illinois men’s golf will not be participating in the NCAA Championships. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 20, 2026

For the first time since 2022 and just the second time in the last 19 events, Illinois men’s golf will not be participating in the NCAA Championships. 

The Illini failed to advance out of the 2026 NCAA Athens (Ga.) Regional and for just the second time since 2002 will not have any players on its roster playing in the national tournament. On a day when Illinois needed to start fast to make up a multi-shot deficit to get within the top five teams advancing into the NCAA Championships at Omni La Costa in Carlsbad, Calif., it took 31 consecutive holes for anybody on the Illini roster to make a birdie. 

Illinois would finish in 11th place in the 13-team NCAA regional, the program’s worst since the NCAA went to the smaller field regional format, with a team score of 7-under-par after posting a 2-over-par total in the final round on Wednesday - which was the worst team score of the day. 

The Illini, which began the final round on Wednesday morning just two strokes behind the fifth and final transfer spot, finished 12 shots behind host Georgia that used its home course advantage to advance to NCAA Championships field with a three-day total of 19-under-par. 

Ryan Voois’ All-American collegiate golf career at Illinois is over in Athens, Ga., with a 72 to complete a three-day total of 2-under-par 211 and a tie for 29th place finish individually in the 88-player field. 

Illinois trying to will themselves to the NCAA Championships for the 17th time in the last 18 years of its existence after a poor start. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 19, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Mike Small’s biggest gripe about the mentality of the players on his 2025-26 team is their inability to physically, mentally and emotionally deal with something suddenly bad happening in a competition going well right up to that point.

The good news for him and his players about the 2026 Athens (Ga.) Regional is the Illinois head men’s golf coach found out what happens when bad stuff happens to his players first.

A cavalcade of mistakes leading to big numbers on individual holes resulted in a very disappointing even-par opening round on Monday and a multiple-shot deficit for Illinois to do what is considered historically basic in postseason play - advancing to the NCAA Championships. 

However, these unforced roadblocks didn’t happen in a second round situation similar to the most recent league title event in Oregon or a final round collapse such as the 2025 Big Ten Championships. The fact that the start to this tournament at the University of Georgia Golf Course was so poor is something Small is trying to mentally press on his players that the bad day is already out of their system. 

Illinois attempted to prove that idea was true on Tuesday

Illinois made up a pair of strokes and jumped a team in its second-round comeback effort in the 2026 NCAA Athens (Ga.) Regional. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 19, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illinois men’s golf team has put together a possible pathway to qualify for the NCAA Championships for the 17th time in the last 18 years of its existence.

Illinois executed one of the best second-round performances in the 2026 NCAA Athens (Ga.) Regional on Tuesday with a 9-under-par mark that included all of its four qualifying scores being under-par rounds. Mike Small’s 2025-26 squad found that the scoring conditions at the University of Georgia Golf Course on Tuesday morning and afternoon allowed for birdies and low numbers to be grabbed much more frequently than during Monday’s opening round of competition. 

On a day where the scoring average of the entire field dropped by approximately 1.5 strokes from Monday’s first-round action, Illinois posted the second-best score of the day to close its gap to the fifth and final transfer spot into the NCAAs from five to two.

When Illinois’ group of five players tee it up Wednesday morning, the Illini will sit in seventh place in the 13-team regional - one shot back of the College of Charleston, two back of fifth-place Brigham Young and just three back of host Georgia. 

Illinois men’s golf will need a multi-shot comeback over the next two days to advance to the NCAA Championships.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 18, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

A comeback effort over the next two days will be required by Illinois to make another appearance in the NCAA Men’s Golf Championships. 

Illinois finished the first round of the NCAA Athens (Ga.) Regional five strokes back from the top five cutline after a disappointing opening day at the University of Georgia Golf Course. The finished in a two-way tie for eighth in the 13-team regional field with an even-par team score that saw them near the bottom of the leaderboard throughout the day and a double-digit deficit from the program’s third straight regional championship. 

The problem of big numbers on single holes was the culprit for nearly the entire Illinois roster on Monday as the Illini made a combined five scores of double bogey or worse in its combined 90 holes of play on the 7,258-yard, par-71 track that played nearly a shot over par for the entire field. 

Max Herendeen led the Illini on Monday in what could only be categorized as the most roller coaster mix of birdies and big numbers by an elite two-time All-American. Herendeen was able to post a 2-under 69 thanks to eight birdies that was mixed in with a bogey, a double bogey and a triple bogey early in his round on the 210-yard, par-3 third hole. 

The third-year star player managed to rally from the major error on No. 3 with birdies and the fourth, fifth and seventh holes to make the turn in even-par 35. Herendeen would get to 3-under through 13 and seemed on pace to challenge for the individual lead but a double-bogey 6 on the par-4, 418-yard 14th hole preceded a birdie-bogey-birdie-par finish to his round. 

Trey Marrion walked IlliniGuys.com through how he was able to post a 5-under 65 in the final round of the 2026 Big Ten Championships just 24 hours after being physically incapable of playing due to violent flu-like symptoms because of likely food poisoning.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 17, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

URBANA — Trey Marrion knew something was seriously wrong on a Saturday morning when he woke up with violent stomach cramps and rolled over to see the clock on his phone said it was only 4 a.m. 

The next few hours, beyond amidst multiple vomiting and being unable to get any liquids to stay in his system, were something the 20-year-old said were “the most difficult since I came to college”. Marrion believes the dinner he ordered the night before had caused possible food poisoning because he told his parents that he felt completely healthy days earlier before getting on the plane to Oregon for the 2026 Big Ten Conference Championships. 

Just hours before he was supposed to take the first tee of the second round of the league’s premier event, Marrion said “I can’t remember” how he was able to get himself dressed and down to the team hotel lobby. 

“I won’t get into too much into the gross details but I must have vomited four times in my room before 5 a.m. and I had never been that sick before,” Marrion said in an exclusive interview with IlliniGuys.com. “I was the first one to get down to the hotel lobby and the coaches looked at me for about two seconds, pulled me aside and said they knew something was wrong.”

The University of Illinois leadership have become notorious every May for slightly tweaking the contract of men’s basketball head coach Brad Underwood.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 16, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN — Whether it’s adding a nationwide no-compete with a pay bump then adding years and contract incentives with a pay bump and now a one-year extension with a pay bump, this is the third straight year that the University of Illinois Board of Trustees May meeting addressing Brad Underwood’s long-term contract.

For the third straight offseason, Underwood, his agent Bret Just and Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman have agreed to amendments to the Illini men’s basketball head coach’s multi-year contract. On Thursday afternoon, Illinois athletics announced in a media release all parties had come together on a deal “which runs through the 2031-32 season but could now extend through the 2035-36 season, based on team performance over the next four seasons”.

In May 2025, Underwood had agreed to a three-year contract extension that got his deal to a guaranteed six seasons but also had the likely possibility of four automatically triggered one-year extensions upon meeting certain performance benchmarks. In this newly amended agreement announced Thursday, Illinois administration simply agreed to replace the guaranteed year along with the automatic one-year extension that Underwood earned following the Illini’s most recent 2025-26 season that ended with a trip to the Final Four for the third time in the modern era.

It’s important to know

May 16, 2026

IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst Brad Sturdy delivered the latest goods on the premium message boards yesterday:

Basketball Discussion | Illiniguys.com

Illini coaches will

Illinois trying to find momentum from a comeback effort in a second-place finish last week at the 2026 Big Ten Championships. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 15, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

URBANA — A few months ago Illinois men’s golf head coach Mike Small has what he calls a running joke assessment with assistant coaches Ruben Sondjaja and Eric Gilpin about the 2025-26 team. 

“I was casually mentioning to them in passing at (the Demirjian Golf Practice Facility) in fun that this team seems like everything is great until something hits the fan,” Small said. “And then they don’t handle that thing very well.” 

Small’s casual psychological diagnosis of his team could be seen as a reflection of the 2026 Big Ten Championships where Illinois bolted out to a first-round lead, saw it spectacularly fall apart on the second day but provided for a confidence-building comeback effort on the final day. 

“I was pretty frustrated, to be honest,” Illinois third-year star player Max Herendeen said about the trip back to Champaign-Urbana from Oregon. “I think we all know that the second round wasn’t acceptable. That final day was huge because we gave ourselves a chance. That final nine holes was a situation where they really mattered and that was fun. I just know I enjoyed playing that final day.” 

Small’s comment nearly perfectly represents what Herendeen has called a “frustrating” spring season but despite not meeting his personal standards in every tournament he’s participated in this spring, the third-year player is still seen as one of the world’s best amateur players. Herendeen was selected for the second time in his career to compete in the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup as part of Team USA by being the one captain’s pick on the team. Herendeen competed last summer in the prestigious Ryder Cup-style event on home soil but will once again represent Team USA as they take on Team International at Tralee Golf Links in West Barrow, Ireland from July 3-5. Herendeen is the eighth different Illini men's golfer to compete at the Palmer Cup. Illinois has now sent a representative to the event five times in the last six years and 11 times since 2010. Herendeen joins Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Thomas Detry as the third Fighting Illini to play in the event twice, and the first to do so with Team USA. Other Illini to compete in the Arnold Palmer Cup are: Tommy Kuhl (2023), Adrien Dumont de Chassart (2021 and 2022), Nick Hardy (2017), Charlie Danielson (2016), Thomas Detry (2014 and 2015), Thomas Pieters (2012), and Scott Langley (2010).

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) May 14, 2026 (Cover […]

Illinois managed to finish the final two days at […]

Illinois will play at Cameron Indoor Stadium this coming […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 13, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois men’s basketball coach Brad Underwood will take his competitive spirit from the hardwood to the golf course this summer, as IlliniGuys learned early Tuesday morning that Underwood is scheduled to play in the 2026 John Deere Classic Pro-Am.

For Illinois fans, the event could turn into another memorable reunion moment at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.

Last year’s winner of the John Deere Classic was Illinois graduate Brian Campbell, who captured the title and took home $1.512 million in prize money. During Campbell’s run to the championship, the signature “ILL-INI” chant echoed throughout the course and was heard on national television as he approached the 18th green. Campbell also interacted with fans during the celebration, creating a memorable moment for Illini supporters.

Underwood is known as an avid golfer, and Illinois associate head coach Orlando Antigua said the Illini basketball staff takes pride in its game on the course.

Illini women’s golf completed a 18-stroke turnaround on Tuesday […]

Illini women’s golf finds themselves 14 shots behind fifth-place […]

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

May 9, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The portal giveth and the portal taketh, right? Longtime Illini Ty Rodgers,
who has been out of action since the 2024 team’s Elite Eight run, and rising sophomore Brandon Lee have found new homes in the transfer portal, landing at Boise State and James Madison.

Brad Underwood and his staff have completed one of the most impressive retention efforts seen in the modern era, and with Ubben welcoming in Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks and the 10th-best freshman recruiting class in the nation according to 247, outgoings were expected.

A different shade of Orange and Blue for Ty Rodgers