By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 15th 2024

Champaign, IL – There’s an old saying: “Recruiting is the lifeline” of college athletics. In Big Ten women’s basketball, that has long meant dominance by programs like Ohio State and Maryland, with Iowa and Indiana rising in recent years. But now, with head coach Shauna Green’s recent success on the recruiting trail, Illinois may soon be added to that list.

Today, Illinois landed another top-100 recruit for its 2025 class: Naomi Benson, a 6-foot-2 four-star forward from Streetsboro High School in Ohio, ranked 98th nationally per ESPNW HoopGurlz. Illinois had been in good standing with Benson throughout her recruitment, with Green using her connections in Ohio from her time at Dayton to make Illinois a good choice. Benson joins freshman Berry Wallace, another Ohio recruit from Pickerington Central High School, on the Illinois roster.

In the latest ESPNW HoopGurlz recruiting rankings, Illinois’ 2025 class is ranked seventh nationally. With Benson’s commitment, the Illini may climb even higher, giving Green four top-100 players in the class. Joining Benson are Destiny Jackson, ranked No. 25, Cearah Parchment at No. 40, and Manuella Alves-Fernandez at No. 61. Rounding out the class is Erica Finney, a 6-foot guard from New South Wales, Australia, who brings additional scoring depth and shooting range.

Benson, at 6-foot-2, plays bigger than her size, similar to Parchment. She is aggressive with the ball, welcomes contact, and showcases a solid mid-range game. The 2025 class also brings an unusual level of size for Illinois, a factor Green highlighted as essential to the program’s future competitiveness.

With these additions, Illinois women’s basketball is making its presence known nationally, showing that Illinois is building a program to be reckoned with.

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email: KedIlliniGuys@gmail.com