Fisher
SPORTS
Top of the Morning, July 24, 2024
Jul. 24—When Darrin Fletcher told friends he'd be riding in Tuesday's celebrity harness race at the Champaign County Fair, many said they'd make the trip to Urbana to watch. "I'm not sure if they're coming to cheer me on or to get it on video when I crash and burn and turn it into a viral sensation," he said. "I'm not sure about their motives." A 14-year MLB catcher and Illini Hall of Famer, ...
'That's our goal, is to be competitive this year'
Jul. 24—RANTOUL — Brett Trefren's goals for Rantoul's football team are simple ahead of the 2024 season. The Eagles' new coach — who played at Rantoul before graduating in 2011 and has been an assistant for the last seven seasons — thinks the program can make strides as it chases its first win since Oct. 5, 2018. "I think it's going to be a process," Trefren said. "Not coming in thinking year ...
New Central coach: 'Whatever you want to learn, I'm here to help you learn it'
Jul. 25—CHAMPAIGN — Kris Bell's basketball roots go back to his childhood in Danville's Lincoln Park neighborhood. Playing in tournaments there launched a career that has included stints at Schlarman and two different semi-pro teams, Danville's former Coal Miners and Riverhawks clubs. "I came up in the Keon Clark era, where Bud Gouard used to have Post tournaments and anybody that was anybody ...
Piatt's OT: Sementi moving on from Tuscola, taking over at Parkland
Jul. 26—TUSCOLA — When Lenny Sementi first took over the Tuscola softball program back in 2001, he said he'd coach for that season and that season only. As far as he was concerned, he was just filling in while the team looked for an official replacement following the unexpected departure of its previous coach. Last spring, Sementi finished his 23rd year coaching the Warriors, which included ...
Good Morning, Illini Nation: Guard options in 2025
Jul. 25—Class of 2025 five-star guard Jasper Johnson cut his list of potential college basketball destinations to five on Wednesday afternoon. Illinois wasn't included. The Illini made a late push for Johnson after Orlando Antigua bounced back to the coaching staff, but getting an official visit from the 6-foot-4 guard out of Lexington, Ky., last month wasn't enough to become a finalist in his ...
Daughters of Central IL Olympian celebrating his legacy 100 years later
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris kick off Friday. The last time the “City of Love” played host was a century ago when an athlete from Central Illinois went for gold— twice. Now, the University of Illinois is celebrating Harold Osborn’s life and legacy ahead of the games. The university welcomed […]
‘I thought it was a helluva idea when I was 19’: Bielema uses Tigerhawk tattoo as teaching tool
Like many teenagers in college, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema spontaneously decided to get a tattoo. “As I say, I thought it was a helluva idea when I was 19,” Bielema said. “It was a rainy Saturday in Iowa City and there wasn’t a helluva lot going on, so somebody said, ‘Let’s get a tattoo.’” […]
Angola VB's Maya Harris commits to Illinois
Angola volleyball star Maya Harris committed to the Illinois Fighting Illini for the 2026 season, the rising junior announced Wednesday. Harris had 97 service aces in 2023, which was top 20 in the state of Indiana. Tags. Localnow.
Illini confident in running back room headlined by Kaden Feagin
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - Bret Bielema teams have a reputation of being run-dominant. But in 2023, the running back room for the Illini struggled to get off the ground. Reggie Love III, Aidan Laughery and Kaden Feagin all missed three games due to injury. Feagin's was a season-ending shoulder injury....
New father Keenan hoping to continue historic Twin City run
Jul. 26—CHAMPAIGN — Heading into its 95th year, the Twin City Golf Championship continues to produce historic storylines. Starting back in 1929, Burnham Harris and Bill Percival traded the title through the first four years. Fast-forward to the '80s, and Joe Burden and Jim Thompson went back and forth a few times. A couple decades later, Clayton Parkhill won four championships in a five-year ...
Notebook: Confidence in Illini offense 'through the roof'; Sitkowski 'a shooting star' as coach
INDIANAPOLIS — The Illinois offense has certainly improved under offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. But the Illini are expecting further progress entering Lunney's third season as the play-caller. Two years ago, Lunney inherited one of the Big Ten's bottom-tier offenses as Illinois averaged 329.8 yards (10th Big Ten) and...
Illinois Basketball Recruiting: 5-star Guard Cuts Illini from top 5
5-star guard Jasper Johnson announced his top 5 schools heading into the latter portion of the 2024 summer. Unfortunately, Johnson’s top five did not include Illinois basketball. Johnson named North Carolina, Louisville, Arkansas, Alabama, and Kentucky as the five schools he will consider. Jasper Johnson visited the Illini in June and seemed to have a strong relationship with assistant coach, Orlando Antigua. However, it seems that Illinois Basketball will continue its search for a guard in the class of 2025.
Illinois Fighting Illini 2024 Football Preview
Bert Bielema’s teams have long been a thorn in the side of Husker football starting with the 2012 annihilation in the Big Ten championship game. In 2021, Husker mental lapses and poorly timed penalties in the week zero season opener were a sign of a season (and coaching staff) that was simply not-to-be. Last season, Matt Rhule finally found a way to pull off a solid win for the Huskers against a Bert-coached team.
Green Street: Not burning bridges
Jul. 26—As much as the transfer portal has been a place for players to find new opportunities elsewhere. It's also offered a second chance of sorts for coaches to recruit players they may have missed on the first time around. has been successful at the latter in her first now two-plus seasons as Illinois women's basketball coach. The latest example? . Admittedly the Illini looked far more ...
Brown-Hagger, Vasconcelos credit coaching staff for transfer decision
CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — Illinois Women’s Basketball has found success in the portal, landing a pair of high-major transfers with multiple years of remaining eligibility. The Illini have added center Lety Vasconcelos from Baylor, and in-state guard by way of Mississippi State, Jasmine Brown-Hagger. Vasconcelos and Brown-Hagger credit their bond with the Illinois staff for their […]
Illini women’s basketball team picks up two promising new transfers
CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – University of Illinois women’s head basketball coach, Shauna Green, recently picked up two new transfers through the NCAA Transfer Portal, a digital tool that helps student-athletes transfer between NCAA member institutions. Green has high hopes for the upcoming season with her new sophomore...
Turning tide in close games a 2024 goal
Jul. 24—INDIANAPOLIS — Seth Coleman didn't have to stress to dip into his memory of the final minutes of last season's game against Wisconsin and the one moment that he felt changed the outcome. Coleman might have been nine months removed from that late October showdown with the Badgers at Memorial Stadium, but the memory was fresh as the veteran outside linebacker recalled it Tuesday ...
Illinois football aims to convert close losses to wins, eye postseason return in 2024
The Sports Desk was at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and the big topic for Illinois football was trying to turn those close losses into wins and get back into postseason play. After a 7-1 start in 2022 and high expectations heading into 2023, it’s about continuing that and building...
Coleman putting mental focus, preparation at the forefront in 2024
Jul. 25—INDIANAPOLIS — Bret Bielema has turned the trip from Champaign to Indianapolis for Big Ten media days into a key part of the annual event. The Illinois coach makes the drive the day before he's slated to speak and takes the Illini's players representing the program with him. The roughly 2 hours together allows Bielema to pepper his players with questions they might field from the ...
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.