CHAMPAIGN – No. 5 Minnesota got off to a fast start, winning the first five matches en route to a 27-13 wrestling win against No. 21 Illinois on Friday at Huff Hall.

No. 2 John Dergo (184 pounds) won his match by major decision and No. 14 Patrick Bond (197) beat 10th-ranked Sonny Yohn. They were the only two Illini to win matches. John Deneen (125) picked up a win by forfeit.

MINNEAPOLIS – Benched for much of Thursday's loss to Michigan, seniors Jenna Smith and Lacey Simpson rebounded Sunday at Minnesota.

Smith had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Simpson added 15 points and eight assists – not to mention stellar defense against Gophers leading scorer Kiara Buford – as the Illini used a 17-0 spurt to start the second half to pull away for a 61-48 victory against the Gophers.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Freshman Yoshi Mori won the all-around, parallel bars and high bar to lead top-ranked Illinois past No. 5 Ohio State in men's gymnastics Saturday.

URBANA – After one set Friday, the Illini trailed in five of six singles matches against No. 27 Virginia Tech at Atkins Tennis Center.

The Illini wrestling team won its final three matches to stave off Michigan State on Sunday, improving to 1-1 in the Big Ten.

URBANA – Illinois' Abe Souza won his match at No. 4 singles, but it was the only singles victory for the 15th-ranked Illini in their 6-1 loss to second-ranked Virginia on Friday night at Atkins Tennis Center.

Souza defeated 16th-ranked Jarmere Jenkins 4-6, 6-3, 10-8.

Jeff Huth's review and preview of all things Illinois

Jeff Huth's review and preview of all things Illinois

URBANA — The Illinois doubles team of Dennis Nevolo and Marek Czerwinski is No. 2 in the first Campbell/Intercollegiate Tennis Association men’s doubles rankings for 2010. The rankings were announced Tuesday.

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.