العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
EspañolILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI
'The Fighting Illini' (also known as 'The Illini') are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports.
The University operates a number of athletic facilities, including Memorial Stadium for football, the Assembly Hall for men's basketball, and the Atkins Tennis Center for men's and women's tennis. The Fighting Illini lay claim to over twenty five National Championships dating back to 1900. However, the Illini have won just two National Championships since 1958 — Men's Tennis in 2003 and Men's Gymnastics in 1989.
Organization
The University's Division of Intercollegiate Athletics administers the official athletics teams of the University. All of the University's athletics teams participate in the NCAA's Division I, and form the Big Ten Conference with 10 other primarily midwestern universities. The football team participates in a subdivision within the Division I known as Division I-A.
Men's Sports
Baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, tennis, track and field, and wrestling.
Women's Sports
Basketball, cheerleading, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.
Athletic Accomplishments
Baseball
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1900, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1921, 1922, 1927, 1931, 1934, 1937, 1940, 1947, 1948, 1952, 1953, 1962, 1963, 1989, 1990, 1998, 2005
Basketball: Men
Main articles: Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball
★ ''National Champions'': 1915 (Mythical National Championship awarded by the Helms Athletic Foundation in 1935)
★ ''NCAA Final Four'': 1949, 1951, 1952, 1989, 2005
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1915, 1917, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1963, 1984, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005
★ ''Big Ten Tournament Champions'': 2003, 2005
Basketball: Women
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1997
Cross Country: Men
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1921, 1947, 1984
Fencing: Men
★ ''National Champions'': 1958
Football
Main articles: Illinois Fighting Illini football
★ ''National Champions'': 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1951[1]
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1910, 1914, 1915, 1918, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1928, 1946, 1951, 1953, 1963, 1983, 1990, 2001
★ ''Bowl Game Victories'': 1946 Rose Bowl, 1951 Rose Bowl, 1963 Rose Bowl, 1989 Florida Citrus Bowl, 1994 Liberty Bowl, 1999 MicronPC.com Bowl
Golf: Men
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1923, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1940, 1941, 1988
Gymnastics: Men
★ ''NCAA National Champions'': 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1989
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1911, 1912, 1929, 1935, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1981, 1983, 1988, 1989, 2004
Gymnastics: Women
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1990
Swimming and Diving: Men
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1911, 1912, 1913
Tennis: Men
Main articles: Illinois Fighting Illini men's tennis
★ ''NCAA National Champions'': 2003
★ ''NCAA National Runner-up'': 2007
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1914, 1917, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1946, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
★ ''Big Ten Tournament Champions'': 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Track and Field: Men
'''INDOOR'''
★ ''NCAA National Champions'': 1921, 1926, 1943, 1945, 1946
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1912, 1913, 1914, 1916, 1920, 1921, 1924, 1928, 1946, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1977, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1989
'''OUTDOOR'''
★ ''NCAA National Champions': 1921, 1927,The Illini were voted unofficial National Champions in 1927, since the NCAA did not hold a National Championship competition that year. 1944, 1946, 1947
★ ''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
Track and Field: Women
'''INDOOR'''
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1989, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996
'''OUTDOOR'''
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1988, 1989, 1992, 1995, 2005, 2007
Volleyball
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1986, 1987, 1988, 1992
Wrestling
★ ''Big Ten Champions'': 1913, 1917, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1932, 1935, 1937, 1946, 1947, 1952, 2005
Famous athletes
★ Nick Anderson - basketball (1987-1989), played professionally for the NBA's Orlando Magic and Sacramento Kings
★ James Augustine - basketball (2002-2006), forward for the NBA's Orlando Magic, all-time leader in rebounds at Illinois
★ Kenny Battle - basketball, played in 4 NBA seasons for the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors
★ Lou Boudreau - baseball, played professionally for and managed the Cleveland Indians, and an enshrined member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
★ Dee Brown - basketball (2002-2006), point guard for the NBA's Utah Jazz, 2005 Consensus All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year
★ Dick Butkus - football, (1962-1964) played professionally for the NFL's Chicago Bears, and an enshrined member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
★ Brian Cook - basketball (1999-2003), Third all time scorer for the Illini, currently plays professionally for the Los Angeles Lakers
★ Dike Eddleman - football, basketball, and track and field (1947-49), also tied for 2nd at the 1948 Summer Olympics in the high jump
★ Perdita Felicien, track and field, first female in Illinois history to win a gold medal in an individual event at the World Championships
★ Darin Fletcher-Former catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
★ Jeff George - football, first overall pick of 1990 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, also played for a variety of teams including the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, and the Washington Redskins
★ Kendall Gill - basketball (1986-1990), 1990 consensus All-American and Big 10 Player of the Year, played professionally for 15 seasons in the NBA
★ Red Grange - football (1923-1925), played professionally for the NFL's Chicago Bears, and an enshrined member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
★ George Halas - football, professional player, coach, and owner of the NFL's Chicago Bears, and an enshrined member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
★ Derek Harper - basketball (1980-1983), played professionally for 16 seasons in the NBA, ranked 11th all-time in steals and 17th in assists
★ Luther Head - basketball (2001-2005), guard for the Houston Rockets
★ Brad Hopkins - football, first round pick in the 1993 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans and future all-pro.
★ Eddie Johnson - basketball, played professionally for 17 seasons in the NBA, and the league's 35th all-time leading scorer
★ Johnny "Red" Kerr - basketball, member of the 1952 Final Four team, played professionally for 11 seasons in the NBA, first head coach for both the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns, and currently a broadcaster for the Chicago Bulls.
★ Ray Nitschke - football, played professionally for the NFL's Green Bay Packers, and an enshrined member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
★ Ken Norman - basketball (1984-1987), played professionally for 10 seasons in the NBA
★ Roger Powell, Jr. - basketball (2001-2005), former forward for the Utah Jazz
★ Simeon Rice - football, played professionally for the NFL's Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
★ Scott Spiezio - baseball, has played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, Anaheim Angels, and Seattle Mariners
★ Steve Stricker - golf (1986-1990), PGA Golfer (1990-present)
★ Frank Williams - basketball, has been part of the NBA's New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Chicago Bulls, and L.A. Clippers
★ Deron Williams - basketball (2002-2005), point guard for the Utah Jazz, third overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.
★ Craig Virgin - long-distance runner, 1975 NCAA cross country champion, 1980 and 1981 world cross-country champion.
★ D.A. Points - PGA Golfer (1999-present)
Noteworthy teams
Men's Basketball: 1988-1989 season
Overall record: (31-5)
Head coach: Lou Henson
★ Stephen Bardo
★ Kenny Battle
★ Kendall Gill
★ Nick Anderson
★ Marcus Liberty
★ Lowell Hamilton
'Story:' Ranked #1 during the regular season. Known for their athletic style. Defeated in the Final Four of the 1989 NCAA Tournament, by the Michigan Wolverines even though they had defeated them twice during the regular season. Michigan went on to win the National Championship.
Men's Basketball: 2004-2005 season
Overall record (tournaments included): 37-2
Regular season: 29-1
Big Ten Conference play: 15-1
Head coach: Bruce Weber
Starters:
★ G - Deron Williams
★ G - Dee Brown
★ G - Luther Head
★ F - Roger Powell, Jr
★ F - James Augustine
'Story:' The first Illinois men's basketball team to be ranked number one in the polls since Lou Henson's "Flying Illini" of 1989. Illinois won the Big Ten Tournament and were the overall number one seed in the 2005 NCAA Tournament, eventually losing to the University of North Carolina in the finals, 75-70. This Illinois team tied the NCAA record for most wins in a season with 37 and was undefeated until losing the final game of the regular season at Ohio State by the score of 64-65.
Symbol and controversy
Main articles: Chief Illiniwek
The Chief Illiniwek symbol
A symbol of the University's athletic teams was, until recently, a Native American figure, Chief Illiniwek, who sparked significant controversy. Critics of the symbol claimed that it was a racist stereotype, and as a symbol of oppression to Native Americans that took place in past American history. Supporters claimed that it was unoffensive and is a source of pride and reverence to the Native American heritage of Illinois according a majority of students and alumni. Recently, after past Sioux elder, Frank Fools Crow, sold an authentic ceremonial costume and headdress to the university, the Oglala Sioux tribe has demanded the costume and headdress back from the university.
The University was deeply divided on this issue; while some of the faculty condemned the symbol, the administration remained supportive of it. The University Board of Trustees announced on February 16, 2007 that the Chief's last public performance would be the final home game of the 2006-2007 Men's Basketball season. The name "Fighting Illini" was retained, as the NCAA rescinded its criticism of the use of the term. Debate continues over the team name, with the University arguing that it is derived from the name of the state, not necessarily the Native American group of the same name. At the Chief's last performance on Wed., February 21, 2007, students wore black to honor and mourn the chief's final performance.
★ article and pics
★ Illiniwek's last performance
References
1. http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/ia_football_past_champs.html
See also
★ Marching Illini
★ Illini Club of Will County
External links
★ Official U of I athletics site
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
