August 2002
Illini volleyball opens with two victories
The Illinois volleyball team got its 2002 season off to a fast start Friday, sweeping a pair of matches at the University Centre Hotel Invitational in Gainesville, Fla.
The Illini opened their season by beating Rhode Island 30-17, 30-28, 30-19 and closed the day with a 30-19, 30-25, 30-27 win against Alabama-Birmingham.
Memory Lane starts in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS For most of the Illinois football players and coaches, the championship rings have been tucked away. The Big Ten trophy sits in a quiet room, unnoticed by most. The quarterback, center, tight end and safety have moved on, to the NFL or to begin their lives away from football.
Time for the Illini to make some new memories.
Illinois attracts pregame crowd
ST. LOUIS Usually, the Illinois football team spends the day before a road game visiting an unfamiliar stadium with little fanfare. Not Friday.
A row of cameras, reporters and banners greeted Illinois coach Ron Turner in a rare Friday news conference. Turner talked to the media for about 15 minutes. Missouri coach Gary Pinkel was also available.
Asmussen: Davie finds new angle on football
When he isn''t visiting his daughter, Audra, on the Illinois campus or puttering around the house in South Bend, Ind., you''ll find Bob Davie at a Big Ten stadium. Without the threat of boos.
The former Notre Dame coach begins his announcing career today in State College, Pa., handling Central Florida-Penn State for ESPN.
Rossow: Border War needs time to develop
ST. LOUIS The folks who run sports in St. Louis have tried their best to pump some emotion into today''s Illinois-Missouri football game.
They''ve organized pep rallies for each school. They''ve arranged drink specials on the Landing. They''ve had players pose underneath the Arch. The only surprise is that Ron Turner and Gary Pinkel haven''t been asked to race Clydesdales in front of Busch Stadium or slurp spaghetti together on the Hill.
Big Ten notes
Dwayne Smith gets his second crack at Purdue in a six-game stretch, the former Illini suiting up for Illinois State on Saturday. The Rantoul product hopes to do better this time, Smith going without a catch in the UI''s 38-13 win last November.
Champaign native Easterbrook rooting hard for Ward to succeed
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. He won''t be in St. Louis on Saturday. Not even close. And unless ABC changes its coverage plans, he won''t be in front of a TV.
But John Easterbrook will pay attention to the Illinois football team. Just like he always does.
Illini believe they have the right mix to make Big Ten waves
CHAMPAIGN There''s no better expert on Illinois soccer than Rebecca Johnson. She''s been around for five of the program''s six years, has gone through three head coaches and has seen the Illini go from the Big Ten basement to the conference championship game.
She knows what she''s talking about.
Illini Football Practice Report
The St. Louis-area players on the Illinois roster won''t have a chance to go home this weekend. Even though they are playing in their own back yard.
Sophomore linebacker Matt Sinclair would love to hang out Saturday night in his hometown. No such luck. He will be on the bus with the rest of his teammates.
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