On this date in Illini history

Forty-three years ago today, the University of Illinois' Board of Trustees recommended Gene Vance to be appointed director of athletics, as of April 1. The former Whiz Kids star replaced Doug Mills in that position. He continued in that role until 1972. Vance, who will celebrate his 87th birthday Feb. 25, resides in Champaign with his wife, Janann. Other memorable moments on this date in Illini history:

Jeff Huth's review and preview of all things Illinois

Sunday marks the 78th birthday of former Illini basketball coach Lou Henson. From 1975 through 1996, the native of Okay, Okla., became the winningest coach in Illini history, racking up an overall record of 423-224 for a winning percentage of .654. Five of those 423 victories came in games on his birthday. In 1976, on his 44th birthday, Illinois gave Henson his first Big Ten win.

From the valleys to the mountaintops and back again. That's the story of Illinois athletics throughout the first decade of a new century. The football team peaked twice, only to fall back. Bruce Weber's cagers hit 37-2 and, three years later, accepted 16-19. Theresa Grentz offered hope that fizzled. The men's tennis team peaked as national champion, then fell back to respected contender.

Following are, for me personally, the 10 most memorable and significant events of the "naughty aughties" or, better yet, the Internet Age. You'll agree on some. Others, you won't.

Illinois sports figured prominently in The News-Gazette's annual list of the year's top 10 area stories. Some of it was good news (Angela Bizzarri), some not so good (Ron Zook's football program).

SALT LAKE CITY – Unhappy with his performance on the last day of the 2010 U.S. Speedskating Championships, Jonathan Kuck got the pick-me-up of a lifetime Wednesday afternoon.

The 19-year-old Uni High grad was told he made the U.S. Olympic team.

We'll run the area's top 10 stories for 2009 on Jan. 1. But we'd like your opinion before then.

Say hello to Katherine Reutter, a short-track speedskater with gold-medal potential. The Champaign native has been kind enough to give us an inside look at her quest for Olympic glory by writing a monthly diary for The News-Gazette. Her sixth entry:

As many of you may have heard, Stephen Colbert of "The Colbert Report" is leading the Colbert Nation as the new sponsor of U.S. Speedskating. U.S. Speedskating's biggest sponsor, DSB Bank, recently went bankrupt, leaving us with zero dollars to fund an Olympic year.