With school back in session, a look around the area sports scene

Even if classes don’t start at the University of Illinois until Aug. 26, area schools are opening their doors again. With that in mind, Sports Editor Matt Daniels offers up four items to know before fall sports hit their stride:

Stacking up the wins

Janet Rayfield has 226 victories in charge of Illinois soccer. The veteran coach starts her 23rd season leading the Illini tonight when they host Wright State at Demirjian Park in Champaign. Of the 18 Big Ten women’s soccer coaches, Rayfield’s win total ranks fourth in the revamped league, only behind Nebraska coach John Walker (365 wins), Ohio State coach Lori Walker-Hock (291 victories) and Penn State coach Erica Dambach (274 wins).

Bowling on their mind

Getting at least six wins and getting Illinois back in a bowl game for the second time this decade after a trip to the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl is of utmost priority for Bret Bielema. Illinois made its first bowl game with the 1947 Rose Bowl, and the only subsequent decade where the Illini missed out on a bowl trip happened in the 1970s. Four bowl trips materalized in the 1980s, six in the 1990s, two in the 2000s and four in the 2010s for Illinois.

A community effort in volleyball

Parkland volleyball will begin its quest for a 17th straight appearance to the NJCAA Division II national tournament — and fifth national title in program history — when coach Cliff Hastings’ program starts its season Aug. 23 in Rockford. The Cobras will have a nearby rival now, too. Danville Area Community College is restarting its volleyball program for the first time since 2013, with the Jaguars hosting their first home match Sept. 6 against Kaskaskia.

Away from Friday night

While the vast majority of the 324 area high school football games this fall will take place on Friday night — 289, to be exact — 10.8 percent of the schedule will kick off away from the Friday night lights. Eight-man programs Blue Ridge, Milford/Cissna Park, St. Thomas More and Schlarman have 19 Saturday games on tap between the four of them, while Oakwood and Tuscola are each scheduled to have one Thursday night game apiece.