Moderator: Glad to be back in action, talking women's hoops. Let's get started.

Dave, Urbana, IL: Tony,

does Jenna have a chance of being drafted next year?

Do you think she has a chance to have a successful pro career?

Moderator: Dave,

I like Jenna's chances of getting drafted by the WNBA next spring. Post players are valuable commodities, and Jenna is one of the most accomplished centers in the senior class. She'll get plenty of looks. I'm a little pessimistic about her chances to stick, however, mainly because WNBA jobs are so hard to come by these days. With the Houston franchise folding, and the league reducing their rosters from 13 to 11 for this season, that means there are only 143 jobs in the WNBA now. That's a tough nut to crack. Remember Ohio State star Jessica Davenport, a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year? She's had a tough time sticking in the league, recently signing a free agent contract with Indiana after being released by New York. I think Jenna will have a great opportunity to play overseas if she can't get a WNBA job.

J-Ran, Champaign, IL: Tony, it sounds like Lisa Cermignano's specialty is defense. It seems to me that last season the Illini would fall behind, make a mini run, but then fail to get important stops down the stretch. Can you offer some insights on Cermignano's expertise and if you think this is really going to be a help for the UI or if it will have minimal effect on what we see on the court?

Moderator: J-Ran,

Good points. I'm told by hoops gurus that Cermignano is a good hire for the Illini, particularly from a recruiting standpoint. The part about defense is interesting for a couple reasons. First, Vanderbilt was never known for its defense. The Commodores were an offensive-minded team, particularly relying on excellent shooting, especially from the perimeter. Cermignano was responsible for working with the team's guards (she was a guard at George Washington in her playing days), and that's a good sign for the Illini, who desperately need help in regard to perimeter shooting. If Cermignano can help in that area, it's a big plus.

Given Jolette's expertise in defense, I thought she might look for an offensive-minded assistant to balance that out. I'm not sure if she went in that direction, but we'll find out soon. A more productive offense is critical to the Illini's chances in 2009-10.

Ryan, Decatur, IL: Tony

Thanks for the time. Does Illinois make the ncaa tournament next season. If not, is there any heat on Jolette?

Moderator: Ryan,

This will be a tough call, just because it is impossible to gauge how quickly, and to what degree, the freshman class can contribute. Here's how I would break it down: If the freshmen have a big impact, the Illini are a lock for the NCAAs. If the freshmen have a moderate/average impact, they'll be on the bubble come March. If the freshmen struggle, Illinois' chances of making the NCAA tournament are remote. If I had to guess, I'd say the Illini will be a bubble team on Selection Monday, and that they'll be one of the final teams selected into the field. They don't have a large margin for error, obviously. I'd say Illinois will finish in the fourth or fifth positions in the Big Ten, which normally is bubble territory.

Moderator: We're fresh out of queries. Hope everyone has a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend, and we'll be back again soon to chat. As always, feel free to e-mail me at tbleill@news-gazette.com if you have a question.

Moderator: Hold on. Percy slipped one in on me.

Percy D., Danville, IL: Tell me about the new assistant

Moderator: Percy,

Lisa comes from a programs that have had great success. She played at George Washington under Joe McKeown, now at Northwestern, and I've made no secret of the fact that I believe McKeown is as good a coach as there is in the Big Ten. Plus, she comes from a Vanderbilt program that A) is solid offensively; B) has recruited well; and C) has a history of developing players. I think Lisa's expertise in working with the guards could be very valuable. The guard play MUST improve next season if the Illini want to reach their goals.

Bart, Moline, Illinois: Tony,

Are there any observations about the freshmen talent now that they are all together. i.e.- is one of them showing much more talent then originally thought of them? And, could you possibly post a picture of all of them together?

Moderator: Bart,

Wish I could give you more info, but we -- the media -- have come across a problem this summer in this regard. After consulting with its compliance office, the UI is no longer allowing the media to observe summer workouts, something that was routine in the past. Compliance says the Big Ten and NCAA have ruled that allowing us to watch summer workouts is against an NCAA rule. Why this has sprung up now, I don't know. In any event, because we don't have access to watching pickup games at Ubben, I can't give you much info on how the freshmen are being integrated. I know they're all here, even Destiny Williams, who isn't taking classes because she's leaving for Colorado Springs on Monday to play for the U.S. U19 team in the World Championships. As for a picture, that's also a no-no, according to compliance. But once we're allowed access to them in the fall, I'm sure you'll see a picture of them all together. That's a good idea for our October preview.

Moderator: Hope to get a chance to speak with Lisa tomorrow, and we'll post her thoughts on the blog then. Thanks for reading.