Some of the Fighting Illini's favorite numbers from 2016 as we head to the new year:

No. 1 of No. 1s

1 - The Illinois men's golf team was ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll. The Illini have since dropped to No. 2, but still own more No. 1 rankings than any program in the nation over the last three years.  
822 - When the calendar turns to Jan. 1, the Illini will be in the top five for the 822nd consecutive day, easily the longest active streak in the nation.

The Love for Lovie

1,000 - More than 1,000 season tickets were sold within one day of Lovie Smith's hiring on March 7, 2016.
10 - The Illini had a 10 percent increase in attendance year-over-year. Only Miami (23 percent), Colorado (18 percent) and Duke (13 percent) made bigger leaps in attendance.

Takedown for No. 2

12 - Isaiah Martinez took down Jason Nolf with 12 seconds left in regulation to repeat as NCAA champion on March 19, 2016 at Madison Square Garden.
3 - Martinez will look for his third championship in a row in 2017. He is already one of four Illini wrestlers to repeat as national champion.

Five Stars

5 - Jeremiah Tilmon became the first five-star recruit to sign with the Illinois men's basketball team in the last seven recruiting classes when he announced his official commitment Nov. 17, 2016.
11 - Illinois' recruiting class for the 2017-18 season ranks in the top 11 in the nation and first in the Big Ten according to three major recruiting services (Scout, ESPN, 247Sports).

First-Rounders

27 - The Baltimore Orioles used the 27th overall pick of the MLB Draft on June 6, 2016 to take Illinois ace Cody Sedlock, who became the third first-round pick in program history. Sedlock will be one of 15 former Illini in affiliated pro ball in 2017.
23 - Sedlock and Tyler Jay (Twins, No. 6, 2015) ended a 23-year drought of Big Ten teammates being selected in the first round of back-to-back drafts. Purdue's Sherard Clinkscales and Jermaine Allensworth went in the 1992 and 1993 supplemental first rounds.

Tyra's Turnaround

36 - Illinois softball's first-year head coach Tyra Perry guided the Illini to a 36-23 record in 2016, the fifth-most wins in program history.
6 - The Illini ended a six-year NCAA Regional drought with their first appearance since 2010 and fifth overall trip to the NCAA tournament.