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Illinois coach Matt Bollant, seniors Kyley Simmons and Sarah Hartwell, and sophomore Chatrice White were in Chicago on Thursday for the annual Big Ten Basketball Media Day. A transcript of Bollant's media day press conference is below. 

COACH BOLLANT OPENING STATEMENT: Okay. Exciting time of year in practice. And we had a great summer. We were able to go to France. We're so fortunate to have our team go to France and play three games there. We played three really quality basketball games against really good teams, and we're really excited about the level of play for -- obviously, having the 10 practices was huge. And this fall has been great.

I love being in the gym with our players. It has been just really rewarding and a blessing to be in the gym every day, the enthusiasm our players have and the excitement for the season. I think our work ethic and passion are the best it's been since I've been at Illinois.

I think this is the best offensive team that I've had at Illinois as well. Our ability to pass and shoot the basketball at a really high level is really exciting. And then, obviously, with Chatrice, we have one of the best post players in the country, starting with her.

I think Kyley Simmons shot over 40 percent from the three-point line, is going to have a great senior year.

Sarah Hartwell I think had the best off-season of any player that I've ever coached. This summer she made 500 shots every single day and just was extremely driven in the gym, and I think you're going to see her have a great senior year as well.

Our three freshmen, when we went to France, they led us. Jaelyne led us in assists in France. Alex Wittinger had 21 rebounds in the first game against an All-Star pro team. And then Cierra Rice averaged 13 points and, like, eight rebounds in France as well.

Kennedy Cattenhead is coming back from a meniscus tear. She got fitted for a brace yesterday. And yesterday was really the most she's done. So she's going to be a big part of our success as well.

So, excited about our future. And just can't tell you how much I'm enjoying being in the gym with our players each and every day, and it's been really fun. And I just look forward to the next time I get to be in the gym with our players.

Q. Coach, not to start off on a negative thing, but you had kind of a -- there was some issues in the off-season, and they've been addressed, I think. But being in the gym, has that helped you guys maybe get past some of the stuff that happened off-season? And where are you right now?

COACH BOLLANT: Yeah. I think one thing, I feel just incredibly blessed to be the coach at Illinois. And this summer -- the two hours in the summer were kind of -- couldn't wait to be in the gym with our players. So that was extremely rewarding. And that's been huge in this process of working through this, just being around our players. You know, I have a great job. I'm the head coach at Illinois. I get to coach kids that are passionate about the game of basketball, kids that do it the right way. Our cultures and our practice ethics are strong as they've ever been. And so it's an exciting time to be an Illini.

Q. Coach, with that being said, where do you see your leadership from your players coming from? And how has that emerged so far in practice this year?

COACH BOLLANT: Yeah. I think that's one thing we've gone through and kind of learned, is that leaders kind of evolve. And as a coach, we may think this is our leader or that's our leader. And we may try to point or encourage that, but it's really the players determine leadership. And leadership gets demonstrated every day.

And Kyley Simmons, a fifth-year player, is the strongest leader as I've been around. Sarah Hartwell, you know, just led by example all summer.

Our freshmen came in, and we'd have practice. And before practice, they were in there making shots. After practice, she's in there making shots. And one of the things we encourage with our players is bring someone along with you. And she's grabbing other players. Kyley and Jaelyne -- Jaelyne actually got tendinitis in her foot from shooting an extra two hours a day for the first couple of weeks. And so that's leadership.

Chatrice White, on her way back from Nebraska, stopped by on her own and visits a recruit that's going to be signing with us in the fall. That's leadership, to reach out and take advantage of those things. And, again, I feel as good about those players and our leadership.

Kennedy Cattenhead is going to be a leader. She's talking and doing more on the floor even with the injury than she ever has. So excited about those guys doing that.

Q. Coach, post players are such a hot commodity in this conference, and you have Chatrice White. How much are you changing your offense to really focus on her, or is it still going to be more of a more balanced offense? How much does she make a difference?

COACH BOLLANT: Yeah, she's a play maker. And one thing, she's made 24 threes last year. She made clutch threes in big situations, games that we won. She made big shots. And so just using her in a variety of ways. She steps out and shoots it.

Yesterday in a shooting, she made 36 out of 50 from the three-point land in the shooting drill. I think she made 20 out of 25 from 17 feet. So shooting the ball extremely well.

So that's one of the advantages with Chatrice, is she's so flexible and using her in different ways. Making it tough to double-team her by doing it in different ways, getting her into the post. But then also stepping out and screening.

So we're going try to take advantage of matchups. If she's got a big five on her, then we'll step out and screen for her. If she's got a smaller post, we'll let her post and steal and do more inside. But you're going to see her score in a lot of different ways.