Small Named GCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year
Illinois Athletics June 4, 2024 NORMAN, Okla. – Fighting Illini […]
Small Named GCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year
Illinois Athletics June 4, 2024 NORMAN, Okla. – Fighting Illini […]
Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Five-Star 2025 Wing Will Riley Visits Illinois
Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
June 4, 2024
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Will Riley, a 6-foot-8, 178-pound small forward from Malvern, PA., a five-star recruit, is currently on an official to Illinois campus.
The Farrell Files Illinois - Update on Last Weekend's Visitors & Preview of This Weekend
Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys & Big Sports Radio National Football Recruiting Expert
June 4, 2024
(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)
In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at the two official visitors from this past weekend and where things stand with Ole Miss transfer WR Zakhari Franklin.
Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Illinois 2026 Prep Lineman Gets First DI Offer from the Illini
Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
June 3, 2024
Casey Thomann, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound offensive tackle from Olney (Ill.) Richland County received the news he had been hoping for recently. Illinois offensive line coach Bart Miller extended a Division I scholarship offer to the talented sophomore.
Sturdy for 30 June 3rd Edition
Brad Sturdy, Illini Uber-Insider & Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio
June 3, 2024
Plenty to talk about this week. Highlighted by a bump on the head!
The Illini baseball team fell to Indiana State in the Lexington Regional in a game that showed how a lack of pitching depth can be a huge detriment in the post season. They had beaten the Sycamores on Friday but on Sunday night fell 13-2.
It was a good season for Dan Hartleb’s crew though, winning the Big Ten and advancing to the NCAA’s and winning a game. Now, they need to keep finding arms, because although a strong lineup is awesome, you have to have the pitching.
Football Recruiting Spotlight on Carson Goda
Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst
June 3, 2024
Illinois continued its late-offseason re-tooling when Division II tight end Carson Goda of St. Anselm College opted to join the orange and blue for his final season on eligibility. Goda is a 6'3, 225 pound receiving specialist who figures to aid in Illinois' schematic transition to an offense that spreads the field more and distributes to any of five receivers on a given play.
Illini LHP Cooper Omans Scratched from NCAA Lexington Regional with Arm Soreness
Illinois entered the 2024 Lexington Regional without consistent weekend starting pitcher Cooper Omans due to what was classified as arm soreness
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
June 2, 2024
LEXINGTON, Ky. — If Illinois was going to win the program’s first NCAA regional away from home, it was going to have to be without a key piece of its weekend starting pitching rotation.
Cooper Omans, a fifth-year senior left-hander, was scratched from this weekend due to what Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb called arm soreness.
Indiana State Blows Away Any Illini Comeback Hope in NCAA Lexington Regional; Illinois 2024 Season Ends With 13-2 Loss
Indiana State pounds Illini pitching for five extra-base hits […]
Kentucky Ace RHP Trey Pooser Neutralizes Illini Power; Illinois Faces Elimination Sunday
For only the second time in the 2024 season, Illinois was held without a single extra-base hit.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
June 1, 2024
LEXINGTON, Ky. — If Illinois plans to win the 2024 NCAA Lexington Regional, they’ll have to win three straight games to accomplish this feat. Facing the No. 2 overall seed in its own ballpark and seeing seven innings worth of its best starting pitcher was simply too much for Illinois to overcome Saturday in a 6-1 loss.
Illinois Men's Basketball Recruits in Elite Company
Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
June 1, 2024
Illinois incoming freshman center Morez Johnson and 2025 recruit freshman guard Jeremiah Fears both made the USA Men's National Team this week. This is unique on many levels because Illinois is the only school to have two players make the team.
Illini Have Full Bullpen & Pitching Staff for Winners Bracket Matchup vs. Kentucky
Illinois needed only two pitchers Friday night to dispatch of Indiana State and Illini closer Joe Glassey is available again versus No. 2 overall seed Kentucky.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
June 1, 2024
LEXINGTON, Ky. — One game down and we’re all still waiting for the first pitching decision by Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb and/or interim pitching coach Cameron Hill in this NCAA Lexington Regional.
Following the 4-1 victory over Indiana State in the opening game of regional play, Hartleb arrived at his post-game media conference with a calmness and satisfaction of a man who hasn’t nearly played any of the cards in his deck needing to take the program to its first regional championship away from home.
‘He has responded’ - How Jack Crowder’s Roller Coaster Illini Career Led to His Magical NCAA Regional Moment
Jack Crowder arrived as a highly touted recruit, suffered severe setbacks and had to rededicate himself to his craft before having a career-defining outing in his NCAA regional debut.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
June 1, 2024
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Neither party in the player-head coach dynamic of Jack Crowder and Dan Hartleb would likely describe the past four-year University of Illinois experience as consistently pleasant.
While Friday night’s eight-inning gem of a performance easily represents the high point of Crowder’s collegiate career, that peak national stage moment didn’t come without more than one noticeable valley.
‘Big Ticket had his best stuff tonight’ - Crowder Pitches Illini to NCAA Regional Win
Illinois pitcher Jack Crowder becomes the first Illini pitcher in 24 years to finish eight innings in a NCAA regional start and get the win.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
May 31, 2024
LEXINGTON, Ky. — It’s very possible all that was needed was for Jack Crowder to get on a national platform.
In his first NCAA Regional start, the 21-year-old right-hander executed one of the better postseason pitching performances at Illinois in over two decades to lead the Illini to a 4-1 victory over Indiana State.
The Farrell Files Illinois - Visits Coming Up
Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys & Big Sports Radio National Football Recruiting Expert
May 31, 2024
(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)
In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at some key official visits coming up over the next few weeks and Braylen Trimble’s new ranking.
NCAA Lexington Regional Analysis: Why Winning Opening Game is Critical
Illinois has not won an NCAA regional game away from home in 11 years and enters the 2024 NCAA Lexington Regional knowing that taking the opening game vs. Indiana State is paramount.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer
May 31, 2024
(Cover photo courtesy UK Athletics)
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Yes, the term must-win game as a term in the lexicon of sports is overused.
Friday night’s opening game for Illinois in the 2024 NCAA Lexington Regional is by the definition of the double elimination format is not a must-win game. However, if Illinois wants to win the program’s first ever NCAA regional away from home, winning the opening game and staying in the winner’s bracket all weekend is paramount to the optimal formula.
“Besides working out our starting pitching plan for the next day, we’re going to stay focused on the game in front of us on that day,” Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb said. “Everybody knows that in tournament play, you need to stay in the winners bracket as long as possible to move on.”
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