CHAMPAIGN – Fighting Illini women's basketball and head coach Nancy Fahey announced the addition of graduate transfer Sarah Shewan (Quinnipiac) and freshman Carolyn Waleski (Frankfort, Illinois) to the 2018-19 Illini squad. Waleski and Shewan join Mackenzie Blazek (Franklin, Indiana), J-Naya Ephraim (St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands) and Arieal Scott (Urbana, Illinois) as newcomers in 2018.

Sarah Shewan | Russell, Ontario | 6-2 | Forward | St. Thomas Aquinas (Quinnipiac)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

-Graduate transfer from Quinnipiac

-Will pursue a master's degree in accountancy

-Two-time MAAC All-Academic Team honoree

-Played in 110 games for Quinnipiac and racked up 781 career points and 450 career boards

-Averaged 13.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the Bobcats in her senior season

-Helped Quinnipiac to three NCAA Tournament appearances and a WNIT appearance

-Posted a career-best 24 points for the Bobcats in two games

-Was the No. 16-ranked Canadian player according to Girls Basketball Report during her high school career

-Played with the Russell Rockets, Ottowa Guardmen and Ottowa Nationals developmental leagues prior to attending Quinnipiac

FAHEY'S TAKE: "We are thrilled to welcome Sarah Shewan as a graduate transfer for the 2018-19 season. Sarah runs the court very well, has the ability to score both on the perimeter and in the paint, and crashes the boards — she has a great combination of skill sets that make her a versatile player.  Beyond her on-court abilities, she is an outstanding student and teammate. Sarah's past experiences, which include two NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances during her time at Quinnipiac, will add a veteran presence of the winning attitude we are developing in our program here at Illinois." 

SARAH SAYS: "I think I definitely felt in love with the area, the school and, more importantly, the way that the coaches appreciate their players. It's hard to leave some place that you love so much, but I wanted something different and that's what I got here. I love the culture and I love the people; I'm really excited."

Carolyn Waleski | Frankfort, Illinois | 5-10 | Guard | Lincoln-Way East

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

-2018 All-State Third Team honoree

-2018 IBCA All-Star Team

-Two-time All-State Honorable Mention

-Three-time All-Conference honoree

-Three-time Century 22 Media All-Area First Team honoree

-2018 Lincoln-Way East Girls Basketball MVP

-Two-year Varsity Girls' Basketball Team Captain

-AP Scholar

-National Honor Society Member

-Spanish National Honor Society Member

FAHEY'S TAKE: "We are excited to welcome Illinois native, Carolyn Waleski, to our program. Carolyn's desire to be part of the Illini family is contagious. She is a hard-working wing player that plays with a lot of intensity. You don't have to coach effort when it comes to Carolyn. Off the court, she is an accomplished student who will continue to excel at the University of Illinois.  We are happy she is a part of our Fighting Illini family."

CAROLYN SAYS: "I chose Illinois because I wanted to be somewhere I knew I would become the best athlete, scholar, and person I could be. After visiting a few times, I knew that, under Coach Fahey and the rest of the Illini coaching staff, I would be taking my game to a whole new level. I wanted to be a part of a constantly growing and fighting team and I knew I would find that here. The facilities are all incredible, the team is close-knit and has a lot of chemistry, and the coaching staff is amazing. It was the perfect fit."