Hey Illini fans!

It is hard to believe that we are already in the middle of September! It is almost time to break out the Halloween decorations and pumpkins! Things have been picking up here in Champaign over the past few weeks, and gym is no exception! The start of official practice has begun and we are really excited to get things going! Everyone is working hard to get their assignments done and enjoying a little more structure during practice. It's great to see everyone working so hard in and out of the gym to achieve the goals we have set for this year. As Jordan mentioned in the last Illini Ink, our word for this season is "All In". Since official practice has started you can really see everyone giving that total effort every day! It's encouraging to see the progress we are making so early in the preseason!

Lucky for us, we had beautiful weather on our day off of practice and the team headed over to Curtis Apple Orchard for some team bonding and apple picking! We all had a great time taking pictures, picking apples and filling our bags to the top! Not only did we get to pick some apples, but some of us got some delicious apple cider and warm kettle corn. It was a day off well spent to say the least!

This past Saturday, Illini gymnastics held their annual Alumni Tailgate, which is what we have all been so anxiously waiting for! It was nice to have so many families and alumni back in Champaign for a few days! Every year, I am always so shocked at how many alumni come back! The support we have from our Illini family means a lot to each and every one of us. We all enjoyed hanging out with the alum and of course, our families and friends! There was tons of good food, bags, babies and puppies! Although there was a little rain, it didn't stop us from having a great time! What made the day even better was an Illini win against Texas State!

Well that's all for now! Everyone is getting excited as things are starting to pick up in the gym and we are on the road to season! Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more updates from the Illinois Women's Gymnastics team!

GO ILLINI!

-Giana