News and notes from UI women''s basketball practice:

SHE NOSE IT ALL

   Her nose is sore, but sophomore guard Katie Coleman will play in today''s 10 a.m. scrimmage at Huff Hall. Coleman was inadvertently elbowed by freshman guard Lisa Guarneri and had to leave Thursday''s practice. Today''s workout should last around one hour and will be followed by an autograph session. Admission is free.

FOR STARTERS

   If the season started today, UI coach Theresa Grentz would employ the same starting lineup used in March''s NCAA tournament loss to Connecticut: Krista Reinking, Ashley Berggren, Tauja Catchings, Nicole Vasey and Casey Leonhardt. Reserves will keep busy as Grentz plans to use an 11-person rotation.

SHORT-HANDED

   Grentz wishes the Ubben Basketball Complex was finished this fall. The UI''s cramped practice situation has the women working out from noon to 3 p.m. at Huff Hall, and players regularly have to leave early to attend class. On Thursday, the UI closed practice with 11 players, limiting which drills it could conduct. "It''s so aggravating but it''s a problem we have to live with," Grentz said. "People don''t realize some of the obstacles that we have to clear."

RIVAL RECRUIT

   Beth Burns received her first commitment from a recruit since quitting as head coach of San Diego State''s women''s basketball team to accept the same job at Ohio State. Lauren Shenk, a 5-foot-10 senior who averaged 19.8 points per game and was a first-team All Ohio selection in Division IV last season, said she''d sign with the Buckeyes in November. The UI has two scholarships available and is hoping ot land forward-center Cindy Dallas of Pittsburgh, who''s in town this weekend on an official visit.

POLLING PLACE

   The Associated Press'' preseason Top 25 poll will be released Friday morning (the Illini should be in the top 10). The AP''s preseason All-American team comes out Nov. 11 (Berggren''s a candidate). Illinois ended last season ranked 16th after breaking into the Top 25 on Jan. 27.

ILLINI PROFILE:

Krista Reinking

   Year/Age: Senior/21

   Hometown/School: Decatur, Ind./Bellmont

   Major: Sports management

   Favorite athlete: Reggie Miller

   Favorite movie: Hoosiers

   Favorite TV show: Friends

   Favorite book: To Kill A Mockingbird

   Favorite musical artists: Dave Matthews Band, Jewel, The Wallflowers

   Favorite campus hangout: Custard Cup

   Favorite professor: Dan Hibbler, leisure studies

   Hobbies: Golf

   Career highlight: Playing Division I basketball at Illinois

   Best player I''ve ever faced: Purdue''s Jannon Roland

   If I could meet one person, it''d be ... John F. Kennedy

   What people don''t know about me ... My uncle is a golf pro ... I''m a pretty uncomplicated person