Illini Insider

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Weekend watch

Three Illini events to keep an eye on this (extended) weekend:

VOLLEYBALL

7 p.m. Friday vs. Iowa

As faithful fans of Illini volleyball know, the current team has made Huff Hall one tough place on visitors. With two regular season home matches remaining, starting with this visit by the Hawkeyes, Illinois is 10-1 on its own court this season. The lone blemish? No shame there, since it came against No. 1 and two-time defending national champion Penn State. Wisconsin will follow Iowa into Huff Hall for a match at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Illini (21-4, 13-3 Big Ten) enter in second place in the conference, one win in front of Minnesota. If Illinois runs the table in its final four league matches, it will be guaranteed no lower than a runner-up finish. The last time the Illini finished as high was six years ago, when they tied for second. When these teams last met Oct. 24 at Iowa City, Illinois won in three sets. It was closer than a sweep suggests, with the Hawkeyes (12-16, 4-12) scoring 23 points in Set 1 and 22 in Set 3. Afterward, coach Kevin Hambly praised how his team responded to Iowa's tough pushback. "You have to like being in really competitive situations," he said. "We like being in some tight sets, and I actually think we're calmer when it's tight."

WRESTLING

Sunday at Vestal, N.Y.

Is there a better name for a wrestling meet than the Sprawl and Brawl Duals? That's what has drawn the No. 17 Illini to south-central New York state, where they will take on three other teams in rapid succession. Illinois (0-1) faces Pittsburgh (2-1) at 8:45 a.m.; Davidson (0-0) at 10:30 a.m.; and West Virginia (0-0) at 12:15 p.m. Jim Heffernan's Illini are coming off an encouraging season-opening performance at Missouri, where they battled the then-No. 10 Tigers to the final bout before losing 18-16. A weight class to keep a particular watch on Sunday is 141 pounds, where No. 17 Ryan Prater of Illinois is scheduled to face two top-10 foes: No. 3 Brandon Rader of West Virginia and No. 10 Tyler Nauman of Pitt. The 174 weight class also offers a top-20 matchup, with No. 7 Jordan Blanton of Illinois taking on No. 20 Chance Litton of West Virginia. Illini 125-pounder B.J. Futrell remains questionable for this weekend's matches. The sophomore, a 2009 NCAA qualifier, suffered a shoulder injury in late October while competing unattached in the Lindenwood (Mo.) Open. His absence against Missouri put John Deneen in the UI lineup, and the sophomore took advantage with a win by major decision (9-0).

WOMEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY

Noon Monday at NCAA Championships

For the sixth year in a row, Illinois is headed to nationals as a team. Jeremy Rasmussen's No. 16 Illini automatically qualified by placing second in the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships last Saturday at Springfield, Mo. The Illini will look to extend another streak when they step onto the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross-Country Course in Terre Haute, Ind. They've finished in the top 10 each of the last four years at nationals. Illinois' top runner, Angela Bizzarri, appears to be at the top of her game entering her final NCAA Championships in the sport. The senior is coming off a victory at the Midwest Regionals and has not finished lower than second in any of her last four meets. She'll be joined in the Illini lineup by three other all-regional runners: sophomore Kristin Sutherland (fourth at the Midwest Regional); senior Elizabeth Boyle (12th) and junior Chantelle Groenewoud (23rd). "We have been doing a great job all year up to this point, and we do not need to go and do anything special," Rasmussen said. "We always talk about doing what you are capable of doing and not worrying about others around you. It is important that we go into the race on Monday and race like we have all year long."

Illini of the Week

Angela Bizzarri

Cross-country

The fourth time was the charm for the senior. After three consecutive runner-up finishes in the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships, Bizzarri won the elusive crown. Following all those near misses, Bizzarri took the suspense out of her final regional race, finishing seven seconds in front of runner-up Megan Duwell of Minnesota. Bizzarri completed the 6-kilometer race at the Missouri State course in Springfield, Mo., in 20 minutes, 7.5 seconds to become the second Illini female to win a regional (see The List below). "Angela's performance is right up there with one of the best performances she has had in her cross-country career," Rasmussen said. "She had complete control of the race the entire time and ran a smart race."

News & views

Double-duty coaching

Tonja Buford-Bailey will work double duty during the upcoming UI track and field season. The Illini women's head coach, who works directly with her team's sprinters and hurdlers, will assume those same responsibilities with the UI men's team, too.

Buford-Bailey's dual-coaching role comes in the wake of the sudden resignation by Wayne Angel on Nov. 12. The former Illini men's coach had handled his team's sprint/hurdle corps while being assisted by Mike Turk (field events) and Wendel McRaven (distance runners). Turk was named UI men's interim head coach after Angel resigned.

"I am grateful that Coach Bailey is willing to help us," Turk said. "She is a terrific coach and will make a big impact upon the program."

Including Buford-Bailey, the Illini men's staff is back to three paid coaches, the maximum allowed by the NCAA. However, the NCAA permits both Illini track teams to have as many as three volunteer coaches because they field teams in cross-country, indoor track and outdoor track.

"I am currently in the process of reviewing interested persons for our staff," Turk said.

Haagensen nearly medals

Former Illini gymnast Wes Haagensen finished in the top five in two events last weekend at the DTB Cup in Stuttgart, Germany. The six-time All-American placed fourth in the still rings with a score of 14.700 – 0.1 point behind the bronze medalist. Haagensen also was fifth in the parallel bars in 14.800. A member of the U.S. National Senior Men's Team, Haagensen was the top American placer in the meet.

Masar makes U.S. team camp

Former Illini soccer All-American Ella Masar was among 24 players selected by U.S. Women's National Team coach Pia Sundhage to participate in an 11-day training camp next month. The camp will run Dec. 5-15 in Carson, Calif. Masar, an Urbana native, appeared in a match for the national team for the first time Oct. 29, when the Americans defeated Germany 1-0 in Stuttgart, Germany. Masar was one of six forwards invited to the camp.

Ellis, Bruins move on

Former Illini soccer coach Jillian Ellis has guided her UCLA Bruins into the NCAA tournament round of 16 for the 11th year in a row. The Bruins – one of four top-seeded teams in the 64-team field – rolled to a 5-0 second-round victory against visiting San Diego State on Sunday.

UCLA (19-2-1) next faces Virginia (10-5-6) on Friday at home with a berth in the quarterfinals at stake. The Bruins have won both postseason meetings between the teams, most recently in 2007.

Among UCLA's victories this season was a 2-1 triumph against Illinois on Sept. 4 during the Illini Challenge Cup. Ellis started the UI soccer program in 1997 and was Illini coach for the first two seasons before departing for her current job.

Eddleman Award watch

Each week, we'll rank our top three candidates for the 2009-10 Dike Eddleman Award, which annually goes to the top male and female athletes at the University of Illinois:

MALE

1. Mike Davis, basketball. Two games, two double-doubles for the junior forward.

2. Garrett Edwards, football. Junior safety No. 2 on UI tackles list after career-high 12 stops.

3. Colin Mickow, cross-country. Sophomore earned all-regional honors with 18th-place finish.

FEMALE

1. Angela Bizzarri, cross-country. Senior never lower than second at regionals during career.

2. Jenna Smith, basketball. Senior entered Wednesday's game with 34 career double-doubles.

3. Johannah Bangert, volleyball. Junior within 30 blocks of entering UI's career top five.

The list

Senior Angela Bizzarri on Saturday became the second Illini to win an NCAA regional title in women's cross-country. The school's all-time top-five regional finishers:

NAME PLACE YEAR

Angela Bizzarri First 2009

Cassie Hunt First 2004

Angela Bizzarri Second 2008

Angela Bizzarri Second 2007

Angela Bizzarri Second 2006

Kristin Sutherland Fourth 2009

Laura Simmering Fourth 1991

Kelly McNee Fourth 1984

Stephanie Simms Fifth 2006

Cassie Hunt Fifth 2003

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