CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - Despite the makeup of their current roster, Illini women's basketball is returning a team with plenty of in-game experience.
Entering the 2025-26 athletic year, Illinois has just 3 rostered upperclassmen. Following a year riddled by injuries, navigating the ups-and-downs enabled younger players to see the floor more frequently.
Among the returners is redshirt sophomore Gretchen Dolan, who suffered a season ending leg injury just 8 games into the season. Prior to her setback, she had been averaging over 10 points per game.
Dolan understands the familiar faces to the State Farm Center will be the ones leading the charge and providing a helping hand for incoming players.
"We're all going to have to step up and we're the returners now," Dolan says. "So we have to bring in the team, and be those vocal leaders on the court at least to begin with."
In the wake of injuries, then-freshman Berry Wallace saw extra minutes and made large contributions off the bench. The forward started 6 of her 25 games, averaging 9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. During the NCAA tournament, she scored more than 10 points in both the Illini's contests.
While the responsibilities of leadership don't often fall upon sophomore players, Wallace says she's prepared to step in and put herself out there to make sure her teammates are on the same page.
"It definitely takes adjustment," Wallace says. "It's a lot different from last year because I didn't have those expectations on me because I already had like a very good core group that was leading us all the time. I'm more of a lead by example person."
Shauna Green has voiced her excitement around her newly acquired transfers. Aaliyah Guyton comes from Iowa and Maddie Webber moved from Villanova. Each saw minutes contributing to their former teams.
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