ILLINOIS IS... 

...off to a 2-0-0 start to the 2015 season 

...13-6 all-time in season openers 

...123-40-6 all-time in Illinois Soccer Stadium 

...facing TCU for the first time in school history 

...welcoming back former Illini assistant Eric Bell 

ILLINOIS VS. TCU ON FRIDAY 

> SERIES HISTORY: This will be the first meeting between the Illini and the Horned Frogs in program history. 

> SCOUTING THE HORNED FROGS: Led by former Illini assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Eric Bell (2002-05), the Horned Frogs are coming off of an 8-8-3 season in 2014. TCU is 2-0 so far in 2015, with losses to Missouri and Arkansas. 

GAME 2 VS. SAINT LOUIS ON SUNDAY 

> SERIES HISTORY: Illinois welcomes Saint Louis for the second game of the weekend. the all-time series between the Illini and the Billikens is tied 2-2-0, with the Illini winning the last meeting, 4-1. The two teams have not seen each other since 2006. 

> SCOUTING THE BILLIKENS: The Billikens opened their season with a 5-0 win over SMU last weekend and will host Illinois-Chicago before coming to Champaign on Sunday. Junior Tori Marshall put in three goals in the contest. SLU returns eight starters from last season, including leading scorer Kristin Clemens who recorded seven goals last season. 

PRESEASON BIG TEN POLLS 

Illinois was slated to finish fifth in the league in this year's Big Ten Preseaon Poll. After finishing seventh in the league last season, the Illini return nine of 11 starters from last year's team, bringing back a wealth of experience. Redshirt senior, Jannelle Flaws, junior defender, Hope D'Addario, and senior midfielder, Nicole Breece on the Big Ten's Preseason Players to Watch List. 

BREAKING DOWN THE SCHEDULE 

Illinois will play a challenging 2015 schedule, which features matchups with several top-25 opponents. Illinois will face two opponents for the first time in Northern Kentucky and TCU. The Illini will also see a familiar face as former Illini assistant coach, Eric Bell, will lead the Horned Frogs to Champaign for the first-ever match up with his former team. The Illini will face three NCAA Tournament teams duruing the 2015 slate. 

ILLINI IN EXHIBITION PLAY 

Before jumping into the 2015 season, the Illini put themselves to the test with some challenging exhibition matchups. Illinois went head-to-head with NCAA runner up, Virginia before facing last year's No. 11-ranked Notre Dame. Rayfield was excited for the two challenges, hoping they would help point out areas in which the team could fine tune prior to the season opener against Oakland. 

SUMMER SOCCER 

The Illini were busy this summer as several of the Orange and Blue spent their time playing all over the country. Redshirt senior Janelle Flaws and junior Kara Marbury spent their summer making an impact in the W-League for the Seattle Sounders Women, while junior Hope D'Addario was called up to help the United States on the U23 National Team at the Four Nations Tournament. 

OSMUNDSON JOINS STAFF FOR 2015 

Head coach Janet Rayfield welcomed Missouri State graduate, Allie Osmundson to the Fighting Illini staff for the 2015 season. Osmundson brings with her four years of coaching experience, working with both men's and girl's programs. Osmundson led the Marshalltown High School girls soccer program to two-straight winning seasons, also coaching 25 All-Conference players, four All-District players, one All-Division player and one All-State team player. Osmundson also served as the Assistant Men's Soccer Coach at Marshalltown Community College where she helped with preparing drills and scouting reports as well as managing equipment and travel arrangements. She helped guide the team to the 2012 NJCAA Tournament and has coached three NJCAA All-Americans. Osmundson was a team captain and three-time All-Conference player at Missouri State. 

FLAWS ON MAC HERMANN WATCH LIST 

Senior Jannelle Flaws was selected to the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy watch list for the 2015 season, which is the most prestigious individual award in NCAA soccer. The nomination marks the second consecutive season Flaws has been recognized on the watch list prior to beginning the year. She also was named to Top Drawer Soccer's Preseason Best Second Team and a Big Ten Preseason Player to Watch. Flaws is coming off a 2014 season in which she was named a third-team NSCAA All-American, a first-team All-Region selection and a unanimous pick for Big Ten Forward of the Year, making her the first Illini to win the conference's top honor in consecutive seasons. 

FLAWS T-2ND MOST GOALS SINCE 2013 

After leading the nation with 23 goals in 2013 and notching 17 goals in 2014, Jannelle Flaws owns 42 goals in the past 45 games, which is tied for the second-most goals in the NCAA since the beginning of the 2013 season. Florida's Savannah Jordan also has 42 goals in 49 games. 

TRACKING FLAWS' CAREER STATS 

Redshirt senior Jannelle Flaws sits in the top 10 in several career categories in the Illinois soccer record book. She ranks second in shots on goal (131), third in goals (45), fourth in points (100) and third in shots (268). In Big Ten games only, she owns the most goals (27) and points (57) in school history. Flaws is just three goals away from breaking Illinois' career goals record (47) set by Tara Hurless. 

SECOND-QUICKEST ILLINI HAT TRICK 

The three goals in 9:27 by Jannelle Flaws against Purdue last season (9/21/14) is the second-fastest hat trick in school history behind only Vanessa DiBernardo, who scored three goals in 8:49 as part of a school-record four goals against Purdue (10/1/10). 

WHEATLEY STEPPED UP IN YEAR TWO 

Junior Claire Wheatley started the final 18 games in goal and played in all 20 contests last season, posting an 8-7-2 record with six solo shutouts along with being part of two other shutouts with junior Michelle Denley. Wheatley made 66 saves, which tied for ninth in the Big Ten. She allowed 19 goals in 1,715 minutes for a 1.00 goals against average (GAA). The Plano, Texas, native allowed 31 fewer goals compared to 2013 when she allowed 50 goals in the 23 contests. Denley started the first two games of the year and played in three games, notching a 2-1-0 record. The transfer from Bowling Green owns 10 saves and a 1.26 GAA. 

BREECE'S 3 ASSISTS TIED ILLINI RECORD 

Senior Nicole Breece equaled the school record with three assists against UAB last season, becoming the fifth Illini to accomplish the feat and first since 2003. Breece added her name to an exclusive list of Illini who have tallied three assists in a game, joining Eva Strickland (2003), Tara Hurless (2002), Kelly Buszkiewicz (1998) and Rachel Smith (1997). The St. Louis, Missouri, native tied for eighth in the Big Ten with a career-high seven assists. 

ALL-TIME WINS COUNTER 

Since becoming a varsity sport in 1997, the University of Illinois women's soccer team has compiled an overall record of 220-139-30 with 12 NCAA Tournament appearances in 18 seasons. Head coach Janet Rayfield (163-97-27) is responsible for 74 percent of those wins and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances in her 13 seasons at the helm. 

UI NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY 

Illinois has played in the NCAA Tournament 12 times in 17 seasons and are 11-12-3 all-time in tournament action. UI's top finish was the Elite Eight during the 2004 season, while they also reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2006, 2008 and 2013. 

ILLINOIS ON THE BIG TEN NETWORK 

Two University of Illinois women's soccer home games will appear live on the Big Ten Network during the 2015 season. The Illini's game against Rutgers on Sept. 24 (7 p.m.) was selected to air on BTN along with Illinois' contest against Nebraska on Oct. 18, which has been slated for a 2 p.m. start. BTN will also televise the semifinals and championship game of the Big Ten Tournament, which will be hosted by the highest remaining seed of the tournament following the quarterfinal round. 

ILLINOIS ONLINE 

Seven Illinois games are slated to stream online this season. The Illini will have six games on BTN+, which can be accessed at BTN2Go.com, and the others can be accessed through FIGHTINGILLINI.com. Links to the games will be posted on the Illini Soccer schedule page and also promoted through social media. UI's first two home games streamed live will be against Oakland (Aug. 21) and Northern Kentucky (Sept. 11), and they will be available on FIGHITNGILLINI.com.