CHAMPAIGN – It apparently will take more than a season-ending injury to its career digs leader to slow down the Illinois volleyball express.

Playing for the first time without record-setting libero Ashley Edinger, the No. 5 Illini didn't skip a beat Friday night at Huff Hall en route to their 10th victory in a row.

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The fourth Shootout at the Hall will feature a point guard showdown between Chicago Mount Carmel's Tracy Abrams and Peoria Central's Bobo Drummond.

This week, HQ recruiting expert Jeremy Werner analyzed where Illinois stood with the prep football stars still looking for a school.

 “This year’s event is going to be the best yet and my foundation, The Point of Hope and I are excited to be a part of it," Deron Williams said. "The talent is high and the competition looks great.  It is a privilege to be supporting a great event and I wish every team and every player continued success.”

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Illinois’ Dennis Nevolo defeated South Carolina’s Diego Cubas 6-1, 6-2 Thursday in the opening round of the ITA National Indoor Championships.

In doubles, Nevolo and teammate Marek Czerwinski opened with an 8-6 loss to the third-seeded tandem of Bradley Klahn and Ryan Thacher of Stanford.

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Pairings for the fourth Shootout at the Hall will be announced Friday morning.

CHAMPAIGN – An injury has ended Ashley Edinger's record-setting volleyball career at Illinois.

An MRI test this week on the senior libero's left knee revealed a season-ending ACL tear, the school announced Wednesday. Edinger, the Illini's career digs leader, was injured Saturday during the third set of a Big Ten match at Purdue.

Staff writer Jeff Huth's weekly review and preview of all things Illini:

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Ashley Edinger's season-ending injury is a major blow for the Illini's fifth-ranked volleyball team.

Urbana native and former Illini soccer All-American Ella Masar made her playing debut with the U.S. Women's Senior National Team late last month in Augsburg, Germany. News-Gazette staff writer Jeff Huth reached the 23-year-old forward, a member of the Chicago Red Stars of Women's Professional Soccer league, via e-mail for this Q&A:

Q: What was it like to get into a game for the first time with the Senior National Team?

For the next two days, HQ recruiting expert Jeremy Werner will analyze where Illinois stands with the prep football stars still looking for a school.

CHAMPAIGN — First-year Illinois wrestling coach Jim Heffernan announced on Tuesday the promotion of assistant coach Carl Perry to associate head coach.
Perry, who is in his eighth year on the staff, has helped coach 19 All-Americans and six NCAA finalists.

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Cubs rookie pitcher Randy Wells grew up an Illinois fan. On Feb. 6, the Belleville native will be surrounded by orange and blue as the marquee speaker at UI baseball's annual Hot Stove Banquet in C-U.

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Former Central star Hope Elam shines at Indiana

CHAMPAIGN – Shaun Pruitt wants to leap into the fire. Calvin Brock is content to simmer a while longer.

Illinois whipped Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 78-58 in Friday's exhibition opener at the Assembly Hall, but the story of the night was the divergent paths chosen by the Illini's freshman duo.

Each Monday, we'll introduce a team participating in the IlliniHQ Shootout at the Hall presented by State Farm Insurance, our annual boys' basketball extravaganza which this year takes place Dec. 12 at the Assembly Hall. Today: Champaign Central and recent Purdue recruit Jay Simpson

When was the last time the UI women's basketball team was ranked, and will it happen this season?

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Angela Bizzarri finished a career-high second at the Big Ten cross-country meet Sunday, leading a pack of four All-Big Ten runners and helping the Illini women to a runner-up finish.

Bizzarri, who became Illinois' first four-time All-Big Ten first-teamer, ran the 6-kilometer course in 20 minutes, 10 seconds.

Wes Haagensen is the latest former Illini gymnast to take his place on the sport's international stage. Following in the footsteps of 2008 Olympian and ex-teammate Justin Spring, Haagensen made his World Championships debut last month in London. One of six men's gymnasts to represent the U.S., Haagensen competed in two events. Although the six-time All-American did not advance to the finals – in the qualifying round, he placed 20th in still rings and 34th in pommel horse – Haagensen came away encouraged by the experience. News-Gazette staff writer Jeff Huth contacted Haagensen via e-mail while the two-time Big Ten champion was returning to the United States. Their question-and-answer exchange follows:

A football team that began the season firmly in the Top 25 conversation is limping along at 2-6.

A perennial NCAA tournament men's basketball program, infused with an exciting class of freshman talent, still is 12 days away from playing a game that actually counts.