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Illinois Fighting Illini

The Illinois Fighting Illini (/ɪˈln/) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The university offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports.

Illinois Fighting Illini
UniversityUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
ConferenceBig Ten
NCAADivision I (FBS)
Athletic directorJosh Whitman
LocationChampaign-Urbana, Illinois
Varsity teams21 (10 men's, 11 women's)
Football stadiumMemorial Stadium
Basketball arenaState Farm Center
Baseball stadiumIllinois Field
Softball stadiumEichelberger Field
Soccer stadiumDemirjian Park
Other venues
NicknameFighting Illini
Fight songIllinois Loyalty, Oskee Wow-Wow
ColorsOrange and blue[1]
   
Websitewww.fightingillini.com
Big Ten logo in Illinois' colors

The University operates a number of athletic facilities, including Memorial Stadium for football, the State Farm Center for both men's and women's basketball, Illinois Field for baseball, the ARC Pool for women's swimming and diving, the Atkins Tennis Center for men's and women's tennis, Eichelberger Field for softball, Huff Hall for men's and women's gymnastics, women's volleyball and men's wrestling, Demirjian Park for women's soccer and for men's and women's outdoor track and field, the Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois for men's and women's golf, the University of Illinois Arboretum for cross country and the University of Illinois Armory for men's and women's indoor track and field.

The Fighting Illini lay claim to over 25 National Championships dating back to 1900.

Etymology

The University of Illinois official team name is the Fighting Illini.[2] The Illiniwek, Illinois Confederation, or Illini, were made up of 12 to 13 tribes who lived in the Mississippi River Valley. The term 'Illini', in relation to campus activities, appears to be first mentioned in January 1874, when the weekly newspaper changed its name from The Student to The Illini. An editorial in the first edition of the renamed newspaper indicated that Illini was a new term. During the late 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, it was used to refer to the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the University, as well as to the campus as a whole. Many NCAA and High School mascots bearing reference to first nation people have changed their names, however, the University of Illinois maintains its position that the Illini nickname does not refer to the first nation inhabitants of the same land.[3]

The term Illini referring to the university's athletic teams seems to come from secondhand accounts of the athletic teams. The earliest reference in the Illio yearbook appears to be one mention in the summary of the 1907 football season. The term was more widely used in the 1910s especially during the 1914, 1915, and 1916 football seasons. The Daily Illini and football programs prior to these dates do not extensively cite the term and also used the terms "Indians," "our men," "Orange and Blue," and the "homecomers".[3]

The Illinois Confederation, also referred to as the Illiniwek or Illini, lived in the Mississippi River Valley and expanded their tribes in an area that stretched from Lake Michigan to Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas.[4]

The term Fighting Illini first appeared in a January 29, 1911, newspaper article describing the basketball team's effort during a game versus Purdue. By March 3, 1911, the athletic teams appeared to have earned the Fighting Illini nickname as a formal appellation evidenced in a newspaper report. In 2005, evidence suggested Fighting Illini was first used in 1921 as part of a fundraising campaign for construction of Memorial Stadium, but articles discovered in 2013 show it was first used in 1911.[2] The Fighting Illini nickname was adopted by general consensus as an unofficial school nickname sometime between 1921 and 1930. It was then used in newspaper articles, football programs and other publications eventually becoming the official name.[2]

Sports sponsored

Men's sports Women's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Cross country
Cross country Golf
Football Gymnastics
Golf Soccer
Gymnastics Softball
Tennis Swimming and diving
Track and field Tennis
Wrestling Track and field
Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

Illinois has won 18 overall men's and women's NCAA team national championships through the 2017 NCAA athletic season.[5] Illinois ranks thirty-sixth all-time in total NCAA Division I national championships through the 2020–21 NCAA athletic season.[5]

Baseball

 
Fightining Illini baseball pitcher Rob McDonnell during a 2013 game at Drayton McLane Baseball Stadium at John H. Kobs Field

Fighting Illini baseball has 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, 33 Big Ten championships and 4 Big Ten Tournament championships in 1989, 1990, 2000 and 2011.

Basketball

Men's basketball

Fighting Illini men's basketball titles include the 1915 Helms national championship, 5 NCAA Final Four appearances in 1949, 1951, 1952, 1989, 2005, 17 Big Ten championships and 3 Big Ten Tournament championships in 2003, 2005, and 2021. Through the end of the 2013–14 season, Illinois ranks 11th all-time in winning percentage and 14th all-time in wins among all NCAA Division I men's college basketball programs.

 
A Bristow Adams poster of an Illini football player
 
1904 NCAA football guide featuring Illini Football. The guide was the official rules book and record book of college football

Women's basketball

Fighting Illini women's basketball began play in 1974. The team won the 1997 Big Ten championship. They have made 8 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 2 Sweet Sixteen appearances in 1997 and 1998.

Cross country

Men's cross country

The men's cross country team were the Big Ten Champions in 1921, 1947 and 1984.

Women's cross country

The Fighting Illini women's cross country team began play in 1977. Illinois won an individual NCAA championship in 2009.

Football

The University of Illinois has been selected for national championship titles for their accomplishments in five seasons (1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1951) by NCAA-designated major selectors, often using mathematical algorithms.[6][7]: 111–113  Illinois claims championships for all five years.[8] The Fighting Illini program recognizes the 1951 national title selection by William F. Boand,[9] but as recently as 2006 this was not mentioned officially by the school.[10] The team also has 15 Big Ten Championship Football victories with 8 Bowl Game Victories at the 1947 Rose Bowl, 1952 Rose Bowl, 1964 Rose Bowl, 1990 Florida Citrus Bowl, 1994 Liberty Bowl, 1999 MicronPC.com Bowl, 2010 Texas Bowl, and 2011 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.

Golf

Men's golf

The men's golf team play their home matches on the Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois five miles from the university's campus, and are currently led by head coach Mike Small. The Fighting Illini men's golf program has won 18 Big Ten championships and in 2013 finished as national runner-up at the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, which was the highest finish in the program's history. 2014 was the third time in the past four years the program had qualified for the match play portion of the NCAA Men's Golf Championships in which the final eight teams compete in a bracket format.[11]

Women's golf

The Fighting Illini women's golf team began play in 1975. The team has made four NCAA Tournament appearances in 2002, 2003, 2011 and 2012.

Gymnastics

Men's gymnastics

The men's gymnastics team have been invited to 44 NCAA tournaments and have won 10 team NCAA championships, which is second most all-time only to Penn State Nittany Lions 12 team titles. Additionally, the Fighting Illini have won an all-time record 53 individual NCAA titles.[12] The Illini hold their competitions at George Huff Hall on the Champaign side of campus, and the team trains and holds practices at the Kenney Gym on the Urbana side of campus.[13]

Women's gymnastics

The Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team began play in 1974. The team won three Big Ten Championships in 1990, 1991 and 1992.

Soccer

The Fighting Illini women's soccer team began play in 1997. The team won two Big Ten Championships in 2003 and 2011. They have made twelve NCAA Tournaments appearances in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. The team has four sweet sixteen appearances in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2013 and one elite eight appearance in 2004.

Softball

The Fighting Illini softball team began play in 2000. The team has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances in 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2017 and 2019. The current head coach is Tyra Perry.

Swimming and diving

The Fighting Illini women's swimming and diving team began play in 1974. The team had individual NCAA champions in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Tennis

Men's tennis

The Illinois men's tennis program was founded in 1908, but has enjoyed most of its success in recent years. The Illini have been one of the most successful men's tennis programs in the nation over the past twenty seasons, winning nine consecutive Big Ten Championships from 1997 to 2005; six of seven Big Ten Tournament Championships between 1999 and 2005; appearing in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen fourteen times, including eight years in a row (2002–09); advancing to three NCAA Final Fours between 2003 and 2007; and winning the 2003 NCAA National Championship. They have also won two ITA National Team Indoor Championships (2003, 2004)[14] and lost in the championship match three other times (1998, 1999, 2002). Illinois men's tennis owns the record for longest consecutive win streak in NCAA history at 64 matches, spanning from their first match of the 2002–03 season and ending with a 4–2 defeat by UCLA in the semifinals of the 2004 NCAA Men's Tennis Tournament.

Women's tennis

The Fighting Illini women's tennis team began play in 1975. The women's tennis team has made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2018 and 2019.

Track and field

Men's track and field

The men's Indoor Track and Field team has a total of 20 Big Ten Champion titles. For outdoor track and field the team has NCAA National Champions in 1921, 1927,[15] 1944, 1946, and 1947. In addition, the team carries a total of 29 Big Ten Championships.

  • Indoor Track and Field Big Ten Champions: 1912, 1913, 1914, 1916, 1920, 1921, 1924, 1928, 1946, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1977, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1989
  • Outdoor Track and Field Big Ten Champions: 1907, 1909, 1913, 1914, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1934, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1975, 1977, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 2015

Women's track and field

The Fighting Illini women's track and field team began play in 1976.[citation needed] The indoor track and field team won five Big Ten Championships in 1989, 1992, 1993, 1995 and 1996. The outdoor track and field team won the 1970 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women national championship[16][17] and six Big Ten Championships in 1988, 1989, 1992, 1995, 2005 and 2007.

Volleyball

Women's volleyball started in 1974.,[18] Since moving into Huff Hall from the Kenney Gym in 1990, the Illinois Volleyball team has remained in the top 10 in the nation for average home attendance. In 2013, the program broke its previous home attendance record, averaging 3,117 per match.[19] Kenney Gym served as the initial home court from 1974 through the 1989 season. Since the founding of the volleyball program in 1974, the Fighting Illini have had 30+ winning seasons.

Wrestling

The current head coach of the University of Illinois Fighting Illini is Mike Poeta, who was a two-time NCAA finalist for Illinois. He replaced Jim Heffernan, who retired in 2021. Huff Hall is the current home arena for the wrestling team, seating approximately 4,500.[20]

  • Big Ten Champions: 1913, 1917, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1932, 1935, 1937, 1946, 1947, 1952, 2005
  • The University of Illinois has had 24 NCAA National Champion wrestlers, with the most recent being Jesse Delgado in 2013 and 2014 and Isaiah Martinez in 2015 and 2016.

Illinois Fighting Illini varsity sports timeline

References: Men's basketball,[21] Men's fencing,[22][23] Men's hockey,[24][25] Men's polo,[26][27] Men's soccer,[28] Men's water polo[21][28]

Former varsity sports

Illinois fencing won National Championships in 1956 and 1958. Fencing was dropped as a varsity sport in 1993. Men's swimming and diving was dropped as a varsity sport in 1993, but were Big Ten Champions in 1911, 1912 and 1913.

Club sports

Club sports include men's ice hockey, women's ice hockey, men's lacrosse, rowing, men's and women's rugby, tennis, men's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's ultimate frisbee, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, and men's and women's boxing.

Boxing

Both the men's and women's boxing teams compete as part of the United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association. Illinois hosted the USIBA national championships in 2018, and the men's team won the 2018 and 2019 tournaments.[29][30] The women's team won the 2022 tournament.[31]

Ice hockey

The men's ice hockey team has played in the Division I Central States Collegiate Hockey League conference since 1979, which is part of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), winning national championships in 2005 and 2008, with runner-up finishes in 2009 and 2018. A second team competes in the Division II Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association. A feasibility study published in March 2018, and commissioned by the NHL, NHLPA, and College Hockey, Inc., found a high probability of success for the hockey program to transition to NCAA Division I.[32][33]

Men's rugby

Founded in 1963, the University of Illinois Men's Rugby Football Club plays in Division 1-A in the Big Ten Universities conference. The Illini have experienced success in college rugby, including winning several Big 10 championships in the 1980s and reaching the national semifinals in 1980, 1983 and 1985.[34][35] The Illini play their home matches in Urbana at the Complex Fields.

Wheelchair basketball

The men's wheelchair basketball team was founded in 1948 by Dr. Timothy Nugent in response to a large number of disabled veterans using the G.I. Bill to attend the University of Illinois.[36] Dr. Nugent later started a women's team in 1970. A total of 29 national championships are claimed between the men and women's teams.

Rowing

Founded in 2005, Illini Rowing is one of the youngest university rowing teams in the country. They practice on Clinton Lake and in the ARC.[37] On Clinton Lake, they host the Illinois Collegiate Rowing Invitational where they race against many other midwestern universities.[38] They compete across the country in the American Collegiate Rowing Association.[39]

Athletic facilities

 
Memorial Stadium with State Farm Center in background

Current facilities

Practice facilities

  • Demirjian Golf Practice Facility — Men's and women's golf indoor practice facility
  • Irwin Indoor Practice Facility — Football, women's soccer, baseball, softball
  • Kenney Gym and Kenney Gym Annex — Men's and women's gymnastics
  • Lauritsen/Wohlers Outdoor Golf Practice Facility — Men's and women's golf outdoor practice facility
  • U of I Orange and Blue Golf Courses — Men's and women's golf short-game practice center

Former facilities

Club and intramural facilities

Illinois traditions

Marching Illini

 
The Marching Illini in USA Formation during Patriotic Medley from the traditional pregame show

The Marching Illini is the marching band of the university. The Marching Illini is an organization which annually includes approximately 350 students. Part of the College of Fine and Applied Arts and the School of Music, the Marching Illini represent virtually every college, discipline, and major on the University's diverse Urbana-Champaign campus. The band primarily performs before, during, and after University of Illinois home football games. The band also performs an indoor concert at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts featuring special lighting effects, performances by individual sections, and slightly pithy comic routines. The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music houses a collection of University Band recordings and performances and recording sessions from 1940 to 1987.[40] The band has several traditions such as the Pregame Show, Three-In-One, Illinois Loyalty and Oskee Wow-Wow.

Illinois Loyalty

Illinois Loyalty is the main school song of the university. It was first performed on March 3, 1906, and is one of the oldest songs of its kind in the United States. The song was written by Thacher Howland Guild, instructor in rhetoric and a member of the band's solo cornet section.[41] Due to the song's length, it is normally played only at the beginning, halftime, and end of football games.

Oskee Wow-Wow

Oskee Wow-Wow is the official fight song of the University of Illinois.[42] Most commonly, it is played "from the hold" at the start of the chorus, when the "O" in "Oskee Wow-Wow" is held out. This version is played after first downs and touchdowns in football, and leading into time outs in basketball. Coincidentally, the buzzers at nearly every arena are in the same chord as the hold.

For many years, the band started playing the song "from the top" toward the end of the warmup period in basketball. When conducted correctly, the "hold" is played just as the buzzer sounds.

Oskee Wow-Wow yell

The Oskee Wow-Wow yell is a University of Illinois spirit yell originated in 1899. The yell was modified in 1912 and 1916.[42][43]

Athletic directors

Notable alumni

The University has a number of notable alumni and administrators in the world of athletics. In football, notable Alumni include Dick Butkus, Red Grange, Jeff George, Simeon Rice, Ray Nitschke and George Halas. Famous basketball alumni include Dee Brown, Deron Williams, Luther Head, Derek Harper, Nick Anderson, Chuck Carney, Brian Cook, Kendall Gill, Steve Bardo, Jerry Colangelo, and Johnny Orr. Notable athletes in baseball include Lou Boudreau,[44] Hoot Evers[45] and Ken Holtzman. The University has also a number of Olympic athletes that include George Kerr, Don Laz, Daniel Kinsey, Harold Osborn, Bob Richards, and Justin Spring,

Mascot controversy

From 1926 to 2007, Chief Illiniwek was the symbol for the Fighting Illini. Chief Illiniwek was a Native American symbol portrayed by a white student.[46] Chief Illiniwek symbolized the Illini, a confederation of indigenous tribes who historically had inhabited much of present-day Illinois; however the clothing and regalia for the symbol was from the Sioux nation. Chief Illiniwek would perform during halftime at Illinois football and basketball games, wearing a feathered headdress and buckskin clothes, and dancing while the marching band played "Three in One", an arrangement of three original songs. It was customary for Illinois fans and attendees to raise their arms at the end of the halftime proceedings and, in unison, yell 'chief.'

In 2005, the Chief was one of 18 mascots (though Illiniwek was considered a symbol and not a mascot) cited as "hostile or abusive" by the NCAA in a policy that banned schools from full participation in postseason activities as long as they continued to use such mascots.[47] The University of Illinois retired Chief Illiniwek in 2007. Debate about the Chief has continued to this day.[48][49] The university chancellor appointed a Commission on Native Imagery to recommend ways "to provide closure, healing and reconciliation... to facilitate the establishment of new traditions... [and] to honor and partner with the Native Nations for whom Illinois is their ancestral home."[50]

The Fighting Illini are one of three Big Ten programs that do not have a mascot. (The other two are the Wolverines and the Hoosiers.)[51]

In the 2020 student elections, the student body voted 4222 to 3597 for a preliminary proposal to adopt a new mascot, the belted kingfisher. The female belted kingfisher, who is "naturally true to the orange and blue", would be the first female mascot in the Big Ten.[52] The referendum was downplayed by the university administration who said that the "results will be shared with the university administration and the board of trustees but will not result in a new mascot at this time."[53]

References

  1. ^ "University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Visual Identity: Color". Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Fighting Illini Name". archives.library.illinois.edu. October 10, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Fighting Illini FAQ". archives.library.illinois.edu. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  4. ^ "Illinois Tribe of the Mississippi River Valley – Legends of America".
  5. ^ a b "NCAA Championship Summary through June 28, 2018" (PDF). ncaa.org. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  6. ^ Christopher J. Walsh (2007). Who's #1?: 100-Plus Years of Controversial National Champions in College Football. Taylor Trade Pub. pp. 73–74. ISBN 978-1-58979-337-8.
  7. ^ 2017 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). Indianapolis: National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  8. ^ Brown, Kent, ed. (2014). (PDF). University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. p. 114. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 15, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  9. ^ (PDF). Grfx.cstv.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 12, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  10. ^ "Records" (PDF). Graphics.fansonly.com. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  11. ^ . University of Illinois DIA. May 26, 2014. Archived from the original on July 9, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  12. ^ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-gym/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2013-record-book.pdf November 9, 2013, at the Wayback Machine[bare URL PDF]
  13. ^ . www.fightingillini.com. Archived from the original on February 9, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  14. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ^ The Illini were unofficial NCAA National Champions in 1927, as the NCAA did not officially score a team national championship at the competition that year.
  16. ^ Hunt, Virginia (1976) [on microfilm 1977]. Governance of Women's Intercollegiate Athletics: an Historical Perspective (PhD). University of North Carolina - Greensboro. pp. 1–319 – via University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
  17. ^ Archives of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries
  18. ^ (PDF). Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 2012. p. 68. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 14, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  19. ^ . Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 2013. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  20. ^ . University of Illinois Athletics. Archived from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  21. ^ a b "Water Polo and Basketball Teams Organized". Daily Illini. November 11, 1905. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  22. ^ "A Fencing Meet". Daily Illini. March 4, 1911. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  23. ^ Figueroa, Joey (November 5, 2015). . Daily Illini. Archived from the original on November 15, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  24. ^ "Hockey-Coach". Daily Illini. December 18, 1937. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  25. ^ Roberts, Glenn (July 20, 1945). "After the Deadline". Daily Illini. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  26. ^ Adams, Jack (October 8, 1941). "Illini Polo Rises After 9 Year Struggle". Daily Illini. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  27. ^ Talbot, Phil (April 10, 1934). "Sport Formerly Closed to Men not in ROTC". Daily Illini. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  28. ^ a b Stoffel, Ron (July 1, 1970). "UI sports started small , now big business here Just check the ticket price". Daily Illini. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  29. ^ . Archived from the original on August 23, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
  30. ^ "USIBA 2019 National Tournament Finals 3/24/19". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021.
  31. ^ @collegeboxing (March 21, 2022). "Congratulations to our First Place and Runner Up Women's team trophy recipients: 1.) @illiniboxing 2.) @michigan_college_boxing" – via Instagram.
  32. ^ "Why Illini Hockey". University of Illinois Athletics. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  33. ^ "Feasibility study: UI setting just right for hockey". The News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana). Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  34. ^ U of I Rugby, Illinois Men's Rugby Football Club, http://uofirugby.com/en/ September 19, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  35. ^ Rugby Mag, DII Bottom Dweller to DI-A, Illinois Opens BTU Conference Play Saturday, September 27, 2012, http://www.rugbymag.com/college-premier-league-/5909-dii-bottom-dweller-to-di-a-illinois-opens-btu-conference-play-saturday.html June 24, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  36. ^ Savitz, Harriet (2006). Wheelchair Champions: A History of Wheelchair Sports. Lincoln: iUniverse. ISBN 978-0595385225.
  37. ^ "FACILITIES – Illinois Rowing".
  38. ^ "ICRI 2017 Recap – Illinois Rowing".
  39. ^ . Archived from the original on September 7, 2018. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  40. ^ "University Bands Tape Recordings, 1942–1987 – The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music". illinois.edu.
  41. ^ Thatcher Howland Guild. "Illinois Loyalty March, recorded 1916-12-05 by the Victor Military Band". Library of Congress National Jukebox. Victor Records. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  42. ^ a b "University Yells". uihistories.library.illinois.edu. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  43. ^ "'Oskee Wow Wow' predates the Chief". news-gazette.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  44. ^ "Lou Boudreau Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
  45. ^ "Hoot Evers Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
  46. ^ Zirin, Dave (October 30, 2007). "Chief concern". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  47. ^ "NCAA American Indian Mascot Ban Will Begin Feb. 1". ESPN. August 12, 2005. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  48. ^ Quinatana, Chris (September 13, 2018). "'Exhaustion, Confusion, and Anger': U. of Illinois Finds a Community at Odds over Old Mascot". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  49. ^ Ryan, Shannon (March 7, 2016). "Illinois Students Try to Keep Chief Alive Despite Decades of Criticism". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  50. ^ Wurth, Julie (November 30, 2018). "UI Chancellor: Chief Panel Tasked Only with Finding Path Forward, Not Paving It". The News-Gazette. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  51. ^ Bannon, Tim; Rosenthal, Phil (March 13, 2019). "Ohio State Has the Best Big Ten Mascot and Iowa Has the Worst: We Rank – and Try to Explain — Them All". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  52. ^ "Campus Student Elections Commission 2020 Student Elections". March 9, 2020.
  53. ^ Ditman, Tim (March 10, 2020). "After the vote: No plans to choose mascot now, UI chancellor says". News Gazette. Retrieved March 10, 2020.

External links

  • Official website  

illinois, fighting, illini, intercollegiate, athletic, teams, that, represent, university, illinois, urbana, champaign, university, offers, women, varsity, sports, universityuniversity, illinois, urbana, champaignconferencebig, tenncaadivision, athletic, direc. The Illinois Fighting Illini ɪ ˈ l aɪ n aɪ are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign The university offers 10 men s and 11 women s varsity sports Illinois Fighting IlliniUniversityUniversity of Illinois Urbana ChampaignConferenceBig TenNCAADivision I FBS Athletic directorJosh WhitmanLocationChampaign Urbana IllinoisVarsity teams21 10 men s 11 women s Football stadiumMemorial StadiumBasketball arenaState Farm CenterBaseball stadiumIllinois FieldSoftball stadiumEichelberger FieldSoccer stadiumDemirjian ParkOther venuesARC PoolAtkins Tennis CenterHuff HallAtkins Golf Club at the University of IllinoisUI ArboretumUI ArmoryNicknameFighting IlliniFight songIllinois Loyalty Oskee Wow WowColorsOrange and blue 1 Websitewww wbr fightingillini wbr comBig Ten logo in Illinois colors The University operates a number of athletic facilities including Memorial Stadium for football the State Farm Center for both men s and women s basketball Illinois Field for baseball the ARC Pool for women s swimming and diving the Atkins Tennis Center for men s and women s tennis Eichelberger Field for softball Huff Hall for men s and women s gymnastics women s volleyball and men s wrestling Demirjian Park for women s soccer and for men s and women s outdoor track and field the Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois for men s and women s golf the University of Illinois Arboretum for cross country and the University of Illinois Armory for men s and women s indoor track and field The Fighting Illini lay claim to over 25 National Championships dating back to 1900 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Sports sponsored 2 1 Baseball 2 2 Basketball 2 2 1 Men s basketball 2 2 2 Women s basketball 2 3 Cross country 2 3 1 Men s cross country 2 3 2 Women s cross country 2 4 Football 2 5 Golf 2 5 1 Men s golf 2 5 2 Women s golf 2 6 Gymnastics 2 6 1 Men s gymnastics 2 6 2 Women s gymnastics 2 7 Soccer 2 8 Softball 2 9 Swimming and diving 2 10 Tennis 2 10 1 Men s tennis 2 10 2 Women s tennis 2 11 Track and field 2 11 1 Men s track and field 2 11 2 Women s track and field 2 12 Volleyball 2 13 Wrestling 2 14 Illinois Fighting Illini varsity sports timeline 3 Former varsity sports 4 Club sports 4 1 Boxing 4 2 Ice hockey 4 3 Men s rugby 4 4 Wheelchair basketball 4 5 Rowing 5 Athletic facilities 5 1 Current facilities 5 2 Practice facilities 5 3 Former facilities 5 4 Club and intramural facilities 6 Illinois traditions 6 1 Marching Illini 6 2 Illinois Loyalty 6 3 Oskee Wow Wow 6 4 Oskee Wow Wow yell 7 Athletic directors 8 Notable alumni 9 Mascot controversy 10 References 11 External linksEtymology EditThe University of Illinois official team name is the Fighting Illini 2 The Illiniwek Illinois Confederation or Illini were made up of 12 to 13 tribes who lived in the Mississippi River Valley The term Illini in relation to campus activities appears to be first mentioned in January 1874 when the weekly newspaper changed its name from The Student to The Illini An editorial in the first edition of the renamed newspaper indicated that Illini was a new term During the late 19th century and beginning of the 20th century it was used to refer to the students faculty staff and alumni of the University as well as to the campus as a whole Many NCAA and High School mascots bearing reference to first nation people have changed their names however the University of Illinois maintains its position that the Illini nickname does not refer to the first nation inhabitants of the same land 3 The term Illini referring to the university s athletic teams seems to come from secondhand accounts of the athletic teams The earliest reference in the Illio yearbook appears to be one mention in the summary of the 1907 football season The term was more widely used in the 1910s especially during the 1914 1915 and 1916 football seasons The Daily Illini and football programs prior to these dates do not extensively cite the term and also used the terms Indians our men Orange and Blue and the homecomers 3 The Illinois Confederation also referred to as the Illiniwek or Illini lived in the Mississippi River Valley and expanded their tribes in an area that stretched from Lake Michigan to Iowa Illinois Missouri and Arkansas 4 The term Fighting Illini first appeared in a January 29 1911 newspaper article describing the basketball team s effort during a game versus Purdue By March 3 1911 the athletic teams appeared to have earned the Fighting Illini nickname as a formal appellation evidenced in a newspaper report In 2005 evidence suggested Fighting Illini was first used in 1921 as part of a fundraising campaign for construction of Memorial Stadium but articles discovered in 2013 show it was first used in 1911 2 The Fighting Illini nickname was adopted by general consensus as an unofficial school nickname sometime between 1921 and 1930 It was then used in newspaper articles football programs and other publications eventually becoming the official name 2 Sports sponsored EditMen s sports Women s sportsBaseball BasketballBasketball Cross countryCross country GolfFootball GymnasticsGolf SoccerGymnastics SoftballTennis Swimming and divingTrack and field TennisWrestling Track and field Volleyball Track and field includes both indoor and outdoorIllinois has won 18 overall men s and women s NCAA team national championships through the 2017 NCAA athletic season 5 Illinois ranks thirty sixth all time in total NCAA Division I national championships through the 2020 21 NCAA athletic season 5 Baseball Edit Main article Illinois Fighting Illini baseball Fightining Illini baseball pitcher Rob McDonnell during a 2013 game at Drayton McLane Baseball Stadium at John H Kobs Field Fighting Illini baseball has 10 NCAA Tournament appearances 33 Big Ten championships and 4 Big Ten Tournament championships in 1989 1990 2000 and 2011 Basketball Edit Men s basketball Edit Main article Illinois Fighting Illini men s basketball Fighting Illini men s basketball titles include the 1915 Helms national championship 5 NCAA Final Four appearances in 1949 1951 1952 1989 2005 17 Big Ten championships and 3 Big Ten Tournament championships in 2003 2005 and 2021 Through the end of the 2013 14 season Illinois ranks 11th all time in winning percentage and 14th all time in wins among all NCAA Division I men s college basketball programs A Bristow Adams poster of an Illini football player 1904 NCAA football guide featuring Illini Football The guide was the official rules book and record book of college football Women s basketball Edit Main article Illinois Fighting Illini women s basketball Fighting Illini women s basketball began play in 1974 The team won the 1997 Big Ten championship They have made 8 NCAA Tournament appearances including 2 Sweet Sixteen appearances in 1997 and 1998 Cross country Edit Men s cross country Edit The men s cross country team were the Big Ten Champions in 1921 1947 and 1984 Women s cross country Edit The Fighting Illini women s cross country team began play in 1977 Illinois won an individual NCAA championship in 2009 Football Edit Main article Illinois Fighting Illini football The University of Illinois has been selected for national championship titles for their accomplishments in five seasons 1914 1919 1923 1927 1951 by NCAA designated major selectors often using mathematical algorithms 6 7 111 113 Illinois claims championships for all five years 8 The Fighting Illini program recognizes the 1951 national title selection by William F Boand 9 but as recently as 2006 this was not mentioned officially by the school 10 The team also has 15 Big Ten Championship Football victories with 8 Bowl Game Victories at the 1947 Rose Bowl 1952 Rose Bowl 1964 Rose Bowl 1990 Florida Citrus Bowl 1994 Liberty Bowl 1999 MicronPC com Bowl 2010 Texas Bowl and 2011 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Golf Edit Men s golf Edit Main article Illinois Fighting Illini men s golf The men s golf team play their home matches on the Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois five miles from the university s campus and are currently led by head coach Mike Small The Fighting Illini men s golf program has won 18 Big Ten championships and in 2013 finished as national runner up at the NCAA Division I Men s Golf Championships which was the highest finish in the program s history 2014 was the third time in the past four years the program had qualified for the match play portion of the NCAA Men s Golf Championships in which the final eight teams compete in a bracket format 11 Women s golf Edit The Fighting Illini women s golf team began play in 1975 The team has made four NCAA Tournament appearances in 2002 2003 2011 and 2012 Gymnastics Edit Men s gymnastics Edit Main article Illinois Fighting Illini men s gymnastics The men s gymnastics team have been invited to 44 NCAA tournaments and have won 10 team NCAA championships which is second most all time only to Penn State Nittany Lions 12 team titles Additionally the Fighting Illini have won an all time record 53 individual NCAA titles 12 The Illini hold their competitions at George Huff Hall on the Champaign side of campus and the team trains and holds practices at the Kenney Gym on the Urbana side of campus 13 Women s gymnastics Edit The Fighting Illini women s gymnastics team began play in 1974 The team won three Big Ten Championships in 1990 1991 and 1992 Soccer Edit The Fighting Illini women s soccer team began play in 1997 The team won two Big Ten Championships in 2003 and 2011 They have made twelve NCAA Tournaments appearances in 2000 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 and 2013 The team has four sweet sixteen appearances in 2004 2006 2008 2013 and one elite eight appearance in 2004 Softball Edit Main article Illinois Fighting Illini softball The Fighting Illini softball team began play in 2000 The team has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances in 2003 2004 2009 2010 2016 2017 and 2019 The current head coach is Tyra Perry Swimming and diving Edit The Fighting Illini women s swimming and diving team began play in 1974 The team had individual NCAA champions in 1983 1984 1985 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 and 2007 Tennis Edit Men s tennis Edit Main article Illinois Fighting Illini men s tennis The Illinois men s tennis program was founded in 1908 but has enjoyed most of its success in recent years The Illini have been one of the most successful men s tennis programs in the nation over the past twenty seasons winning nine consecutive Big Ten Championships from 1997 to 2005 six of seven Big Ten Tournament Championships between 1999 and 2005 appearing in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen fourteen times including eight years in a row 2002 09 advancing to three NCAA Final Fours between 2003 and 2007 and winning the 2003 NCAA National Championship They have also won two ITA National Team Indoor Championships 2003 2004 14 and lost in the championship match three other times 1998 1999 2002 Illinois men s tennis owns the record for longest consecutive win streak in NCAA history at 64 matches spanning from their first match of the 2002 03 season and ending with a 4 2 defeat by UCLA in the semifinals of the 2004 NCAA Men s Tennis Tournament Women s tennis Edit The Fighting Illini women s tennis team began play in 1975 The women s tennis team has made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances in 1996 1997 1999 2000 2001 2003 2004 2008 2009 2010 2012 2018 and 2019 Track and field Edit Men s track and field Edit The men s Indoor Track and Field team has a total of 20 Big Ten Champion titles For outdoor track and field the team has NCAA National Champions in 1921 1927 15 1944 1946 and 1947 In addition the team carries a total of 29 Big Ten Championships Indoor Track and Field Big Ten Champions 1912 1913 1914 1916 1920 1921 1924 1928 1946 1947 1951 1952 1953 1954 1958 1977 1981 1987 1988 1989 Outdoor Track and Field Big Ten Champions 1907 1909 1913 1914 1920 1921 1922 1924 1927 1928 1929 1934 1945 1946 1947 1951 1952 1953 1954 1958 1959 1960 1975 1977 1987 1988 1989 1994 2015Women s track and field Edit The Fighting Illini women s track and field team began play in 1976 citation needed The indoor track and field team won five Big Ten Championships in 1989 1992 1993 1995 and 1996 The outdoor track and field team won the 1970 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women national championship 16 17 and six Big Ten Championships in 1988 1989 1992 1995 2005 and 2007 Volleyball Edit Main article Illinois Fighting Illini women s volleyball Women s volleyball started in 1974 18 Since moving into Huff Hall from the Kenney Gym in 1990 the Illinois Volleyball team has remained in the top 10 in the nation for average home attendance In 2013 the program broke its previous home attendance record averaging 3 117 per match 19 Kenney Gym served as the initial home court from 1974 through the 1989 season Since the founding of the volleyball program in 1974 the Fighting Illini have had 30 winning seasons Wrestling Edit Main category Illinois Fighting Illini wrestlers The current head coach of the University of Illinois Fighting Illini is Mike Poeta who was a two time NCAA finalist for Illinois He replaced Jim Heffernan who retired in 2021 Huff Hall is the current home arena for the wrestling team seating approximately 4 500 20 Big Ten Champions 1913 1917 1920 1921 1922 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1930 1932 1935 1937 1946 1947 1952 2005 The University of Illinois has had 24 NCAA National Champion wrestlers with the most recent being Jesse Delgado in 2013 and 2014 and Isaiah Martinez in 2015 and 2016 Illinois Fighting Illini varsity sports timeline Edit References Men s basketball 21 Men s fencing 22 23 Men s hockey 24 25 Men s polo 26 27 Men s soccer 28 Men s water polo 21 28 Former varsity sports EditIllinois fencing won National Championships in 1956 and 1958 Fencing was dropped as a varsity sport in 1993 Men s swimming and diving was dropped as a varsity sport in 1993 but were Big Ten Champions in 1911 1912 and 1913 Club sports EditClub sports include men s ice hockey women s ice hockey men s lacrosse rowing men s and women s rugby tennis men s volleyball men s and women s soccer men s and women s ultimate frisbee men s and women s cross country men s and women s track and field and men s and women s boxing Boxing Edit Both the men s and women s boxing teams compete as part of the United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association Illinois hosted the USIBA national championships in 2018 and the men s team won the 2018 and 2019 tournaments 29 30 The women s team won the 2022 tournament 31 Ice hockey Edit Main article Illinois Fighting Illini men s ice hockey The men s ice hockey team has played in the Division I Central States Collegiate Hockey League conference since 1979 which is part of the American Collegiate Hockey Association ACHA winning national championships in 2005 and 2008 with runner up finishes in 2009 and 2018 A second team competes in the Division II Mid American Collegiate Hockey Association A feasibility study published in March 2018 and commissioned by the NHL NHLPA and College Hockey Inc found a high probability of success for the hockey program to transition to NCAA Division I 32 33 Men s rugby Edit Founded in 1963 the University of Illinois Men s Rugby Football Club plays in Division 1 A in the Big Ten Universities conference The Illini have experienced success in college rugby including winning several Big 10 championships in the 1980s and reaching the national semifinals in 1980 1983 and 1985 34 35 The Illini play their home matches in Urbana at the Complex Fields Wheelchair basketball Edit Main article University of Illinois Wheelchair Basketball The men s wheelchair basketball team was founded in 1948 by Dr Timothy Nugent in response to a large number of disabled veterans using the G I Bill to attend the University of Illinois 36 Dr Nugent later started a women s team in 1970 A total of 29 national championships are claimed between the men and women s teams Rowing Edit Main article Illini Rowing Founded in 2005 Illini Rowing is one of the youngest university rowing teams in the country They practice on Clinton Lake and in the ARC 37 On Clinton Lake they host the Illinois Collegiate Rowing Invitational where they race against many other midwestern universities 38 They compete across the country in the American Collegiate Rowing Association 39 Athletic facilities Edit Memorial Stadium with State Farm Center in background State Farm Center Current facilities Edit Activities and Recreation Center ARC Pool Women s swimming and diving Atkins Tennis Center Men s and women s tennis Eichelberger Field Softball Huff Hall Men s and women s gymnastics women s volleyball wrestling Illinois Field Baseball Demirjian Park Women s soccer Men s and women s outdoor track and field Memorial Stadium Football State Farm Center formerly Assembly Hall Men s and women s basketball Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois Men s and women s golf University of Illinois Arboretum Men s and women s cross country University of Illinois Armory Men s and women s indoor track and fieldPractice facilities Edit Demirjian Golf Practice Facility Men s and women s golf indoor practice facility Irwin Indoor Practice Facility Football women s soccer baseball softball Kenney Gym and Kenney Gym Annex Men s and women s gymnastics Lauritsen Wohlers Outdoor Golf Practice Facility Men s and women s golf outdoor practice facility U of I Orange and Blue Golf Courses Men s and women s golf short game practice centerFormer facilities Edit Huff Hall Men s basketball 1925 1963 Original Illinois Field Baseball 1884 1987 and football 1893 1922 Kenney Gym and Kenney Gym Annex Men s basketball 1905 1925 Club and intramural facilities Edit Activities and Recreation Center Intramural sports Complex Fields Intramural sports CRCE Intramural sports University of Illinois Ice Arena Men s and women s club hockey Synchronized skatingIllinois traditions EditMarching Illini Edit The Marching Illini in USA Formation during Patriotic Medley from the traditional pregame show Main article Marching Illini The Marching Illini is the marching band of the university The Marching Illini is an organization which annually includes approximately 350 students Part of the College of Fine and Applied Arts and the School of Music the Marching Illini represent virtually every college discipline and major on the University s diverse Urbana Champaign campus The band primarily performs before during and after University of Illinois home football games The band also performs an indoor concert at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts featuring special lighting effects performances by individual sections and slightly pithy comic routines The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music houses a collection of University Band recordings and performances and recording sessions from 1940 to 1987 40 The band has several traditions such as the Pregame Show Three In One Illinois Loyalty and Oskee Wow Wow Illinois Loyalty Edit Main article Illinois Loyalty Illinois Loyalty is the main school song of the university It was first performed on March 3 1906 and is one of the oldest songs of its kind in the United States The song was written by Thacher Howland Guild instructor in rhetoric and a member of the band s solo cornet section 41 Due to the song s length it is normally played only at the beginning halftime and end of football games Oskee Wow Wow Edit Main article Oskee Wow Wow Oskee Wow Wow is the official fight song of the University of Illinois 42 Most commonly it is played from the hold at the start of the chorus when the O in Oskee Wow Wow is held out This version is played after first downs and touchdowns in football and leading into time outs in basketball Coincidentally the buzzers at nearly every arena are in the same chord as the hold For many years the band started playing the song from the top toward the end of the warmup period in basketball When conducted correctly the hold is played just as the buzzer sounds Oskee Wow Wow yell Edit The Oskee Wow Wow yell is a University of Illinois spirit yell originated in 1899 The yell was modified in 1912 and 1916 42 43 Athletic directors EditEdward K Hall 1892 1894 Fred D Dodge 1894 1895 Henry H Everett 1895 1898 Jacob K Shell 1898 1901 George Huff 1901 1936 Wendell S Wilson 1936 1941 Douglas R Mills 1941 1966 Leslie Bryan interim 1966 1967 Gene Vance 1967 1972 Charles E Flynn interim 1972 Cecil Coleman 1972 1979 Ray Eliot interim 1979 Neale Stoner 1980 1988 Ron Guenther interim 1988 Karol A Kahrs interim 1988 John Mackovic 1988 1991 Robert Todd interim 1991 1992 Ron Guenther 1992 2011 Mike Thomas 2011 2015 Paul Kowalczyk interim 2015 Josh Whitman 2016 present Notable alumni EditMain article List of University of Illinois Urbana Champaign people sports The University has a number of notable alumni and administrators in the world of athletics In football notable Alumni include Dick Butkus Red Grange Jeff George Simeon Rice Ray Nitschke and George Halas Famous basketball alumni include Dee Brown Deron Williams Luther Head Derek Harper Nick Anderson Chuck Carney Brian Cook Kendall Gill Steve Bardo Jerry Colangelo and Johnny Orr Notable athletes in baseball include Lou Boudreau 44 Hoot Evers 45 and Ken Holtzman The University has also a number of Olympic athletes that include George Kerr Don Laz Daniel Kinsey Harold Osborn Bob Richards and Justin Spring Mascot controversy EditFurther information Chief Illiniwek From 1926 to 2007 Chief Illiniwek was the symbol for the Fighting Illini Chief Illiniwek was a Native American symbol portrayed by a white student 46 Chief Illiniwek symbolized the Illini a confederation of indigenous tribes who historically had inhabited much of present day Illinois however the clothing and regalia for the symbol was from the Sioux nation Chief Illiniwek would perform during halftime at Illinois football and basketball games wearing a feathered headdress and buckskin clothes and dancing while the marching band played Three in One an arrangement of three original songs It was customary for Illinois fans and attendees to raise their arms at the end of the halftime proceedings and in unison yell chief In 2005 the Chief was one of 18 mascots though Illiniwek was considered a symbol and not a mascot cited as hostile or abusive by the NCAA in a policy that banned schools from full participation in postseason activities as long as they continued to use such mascots 47 The University of Illinois retired Chief Illiniwek in 2007 Debate about the Chief has continued to this day 48 49 The university chancellor appointed a Commission on Native Imagery to recommend ways to provide closure healing and reconciliation to facilitate the establishment of new traditions and to honor and partner with the Native Nations for whom Illinois is their ancestral home 50 The Fighting Illini are one of three Big Ten programs that do not have a mascot The other two are the Wolverines and the Hoosiers 51 In the 2020 student elections the student body voted 4222 to 3597 for a preliminary proposal to adopt a new mascot the belted kingfisher The female belted kingfisher who is naturally true to the orange and blue would be the first female mascot in the Big Ten 52 The referendum was downplayed by the university administration who said that the results will be shared with the university administration and the board of trustees but will not result in a new mascot at this time 53 References Edit University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Visual Identity Color Retrieved November 13 2022 a b c Fighting Illini Name archives library illinois edu October 10 2012 Retrieved May 12 2017 a b Fighting Illini FAQ archives library illinois edu Retrieved May 12 2017 Illinois Tribe of the Mississippi River Valley Legends of America a b NCAA Championship Summary through June 28 2018 PDF ncaa org Retrieved July 3 2018 Christopher J Walsh 2007 Who s 1 100 Plus Years of Controversial National Champions in College Football Taylor Trade Pub pp 73 74 ISBN 978 1 58979 337 8 2017 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records PDF Indianapolis National Collegiate Athletic Association August 2017 Retrieved September 6 2018 Brown Kent ed 2014 2014 Illinois Football Record Book PDF University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics p 114 Archived from the original PDF on January 15 2019 Retrieved May 5 2015 The Record Book PDF Grfx cstv com Archived from the original PDF on November 12 2012 Retrieved May 29 2014 Records PDF Graphics fansonly com Retrieved May 29 2014 Illini Advance to NCAA Match Play for Third Time in 4 Years University of Illinois DIA May 26 2014 Archived from the original on July 9 2014 Retrieved June 25 2014 http grfx cstv com photos schools ill sports m gym auto pdf 2012 13 misc non event 2013 record book pdf Archived November 9 2013 at the Wayback Machine bare URL PDF Illinois Athletics www fightingillini com Archived from the original on February 9 2014 Retrieved March 22 2018 Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on March 3 2016 Retrieved September 20 2015 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link The Illini were unofficial NCAA National Champions in 1927 as the NCAA did not officially score a team national championship at the competition that year Hunt Virginia 1976 on microfilm 1977 Governance of Women s Intercollegiate Athletics an Historical Perspective PhD University of North Carolina Greensboro pp 1 319 via University Microfilms Ann Arbor Michigan Archives of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women AIAW Special Collections University of Maryland Libraries 2012 Illinois Volleyball Record Book PDF Champaign IL University of Illinois Urbana Champaign 2012 p 68 Archived from the original PDF on December 14 2013 Retrieved December 14 2013 Illinois Most Well Attended Season Ends at the Hand of Big Ten Foe Champaign IL University of Illinois Urbana Champaign 2013 Archived from the original on December 14 2013 Retrieved December 14 2013 2013 2014 Wrestling Quick Facts University of Illinois Athletics Archived from the original on March 30 2014 Retrieved March 9 2016 a b Water Polo and Basketball Teams Organized Daily Illini November 11 1905 Retrieved November 13 2015 A Fencing Meet Daily Illini March 4 1911 Retrieved November 13 2015 Figueroa Joey November 5 2015 Athletic scholarships at Illinois by the numbers Daily Illini Archived from the original on November 15 2015 Retrieved November 13 2015 Hockey Coach Daily Illini December 18 1937 Retrieved November 13 2015 Roberts Glenn July 20 1945 After the Deadline Daily Illini Retrieved November 13 2015 Adams Jack October 8 1941 Illini Polo Rises After 9 Year Struggle Daily Illini Retrieved November 13 2015 Talbot Phil April 10 1934 Sport Formerly Closed to Men not in ROTC Daily Illini Retrieved November 13 2015 a b Stoffel Ron July 1 1970 UI sports started small now big business here Just check the ticket price Daily Illini Retrieved November 13 2015 Champions USIBA Archived from the original on August 23 2019 Retrieved August 21 2019 USIBA 2019 National Tournament Finals 3 24 19 YouTube Archived from the original on December 13 2021 collegeboxing March 21 2022 Congratulations to our First Place and Runner Up Women s team trophy recipients 1 illiniboxing 2 michigan college boxing via Instagram Why Illini Hockey University of Illinois Athletics Retrieved March 24 2018 Feasibility study UI setting just right for hockey The News Gazette Champaign Urbana Retrieved March 24 2018 U of I Rugby Illinois Men s Rugby Football Club http uofirugby com en Archived September 19 2012 at the Wayback Machine Rugby Mag DII Bottom Dweller to DI A Illinois Opens BTU Conference Play Saturday September 27 2012 http www rugbymag com college premier league 5909 dii bottom dweller to di a illinois opens btu conference play saturday html Archived June 24 2013 at the Wayback Machine Savitz Harriet 2006 Wheelchair Champions A History of Wheelchair Sports Lincoln iUniverse ISBN 978 0595385225 FACILITIES Illinois Rowing ICRI 2017 Recap Illinois Rowing American Collegiate Rowing Association Archived from the original on September 7 2018 Retrieved September 7 2018 University Bands Tape Recordings 1942 1987 The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music illinois edu Thatcher Howland Guild Illinois Loyalty March recorded 1916 12 05 by the Victor Military Band Library of Congress National Jukebox Victor Records Retrieved June 23 2015 a b University Yells uihistories library illinois edu Retrieved May 12 2017 Oskee Wow Wow predates the Chief news gazette com Retrieved May 12 2017 Lou Boudreau Stats Baseball Almanac Retrieved October 30 2012 Hoot Evers Stats Baseball Almanac Retrieved October 30 2012 Zirin Dave October 30 2007 Chief concern Sports Illustrated Retrieved March 18 2019 NCAA American Indian Mascot Ban Will Begin Feb 1 ESPN August 12 2005 Retrieved March 16 2019 Quinatana Chris September 13 2018 Exhaustion Confusion and Anger U of Illinois Finds a Community at Odds over Old Mascot The Chronicle of Higher Education Retrieved March 16 2019 Ryan Shannon March 7 2016 Illinois Students Try to Keep Chief Alive Despite Decades of Criticism Chicago Tribune Retrieved March 16 2019 Wurth Julie November 30 2018 UI Chancellor Chief Panel Tasked Only with Finding Path Forward Not Paving It The News Gazette Retrieved March 16 2019 Bannon Tim Rosenthal Phil March 13 2019 Ohio State Has the Best Big Ten Mascot and Iowa Has the Worst We Rank and Try to Explain Them All Chicago Tribune Retrieved March 16 2019 Campus Student Elections Commission 2020 Student Elections March 9 2020 Ditman Tim March 10 2020 After the vote No plans to choose mascot now UI chancellor says News Gazette Retrieved March 10 2020 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign athletics Official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Illinois Fighting Illini amp oldid 1135295341, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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