The Illinois volleyball team rose two spots, to No. 6, in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll on Monday

CHAMPAIGN – Michelle Bartsch led a balanced attack with 13 kills as No. 10 Illinois defeated Northwestern 25-20, 25-16, 25-19 on Wednesday.

Laura DeBruler and Kylie McCulley each added 12 kills for the Illini (13-3, 5-2 Big Ten), who won their fourth straight. Northwestern (11-8, 2-5) had won four straight matches at Huff Hall.

CHAMPAIGN — Amateur Wrestling News selected five Illinois wrestlers for its preseason rankings.
Sophomore Jordan Blanton and senior John Dergo are the highest-ranked Illini, each No. 11 in their respective weight classes. Blanton and Dergo are swapping classes this season, with Dergo moving up to 184 pounds and Blanton dropping to 174.

Illinois' Scott Langley shot even-par 70 Monday and is 2 shots off the lead after the first round of the U.S. Amateur Championship in Tulsa, Okla.

Bob Zuppke checks in as Loren Tate's greatest Illini coach of all time. Read on for the rest — and his explanation as to why he picked the way he did.

News you can't leave work without: Wrestling coach Jim Heffernan completes coaching staff; Peota, Hunter staying in C-U

CHAMPAIGN – He is hitting the ground driving. In that blue Dodge minivan he likes so much.

For 17 years, Jim Heffernan was the No. 2 guy in Mark Johnson's program. Promoted last week to replace Johnson, Heffernan isn't about to fall behind. His first week on the job included moving into his new office, calling recruits and meeting with the returning wrestlers.

Each week, HQ know-it-all Tony Bleill takes our questions