CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois will open the 2016-17 season at the Windy City Invitational in Chicago. The tournament, hosted by UIC, will see the Fighting Illini pitted against the Flames, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio State. The Orange and Blue have claimed the last two Windy City Invitational titles.

"We are excited to start competition," said head coach Justin Spring. "I think we are going to be a late-blooming team. However, there is no reason why we can't go out and be a consistent, good-hitting team this weekend. With that happening early on in the year, anything can happen."

The Windy City Invitational was first held during the 1976-77 season. Illinois won the tournament for the first time on Jan. 16, 1988. The Illini have won the event six times since its inception, with four of those six coming under Spring's leadership.

THE FIELD

         Iowa: 153-82                                      Michigan: 122-89-1                Minnesota: 155-94

         Ohio State: 106-77-2                         UIC: 73-16                               Total: 609-358-3

NO. 5 IN THE NATION

Illinois was voted fifth in the 2017 National Pre-Season Coaches Poll, the seventh time in the last eight years the Illini have started the season in the top five.

BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL

In the Big Ten Preseason Poll, Illinois was slated to finish third in the league for the fourth-consecutive season. Last year, the Illini finished second to host Ohio State at the Big Ten Championships. Junior Brandon Ngai, the reigning NCAA champion on pommel horse, and sophomore Alex Diab, the reigning Big Ten champion on still rings, were named "Gymnasts to Watch" by the conference.

RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS

Spring welcomes back six gymnasts that have garnered eight All-America honors over the course of their careers. Redshirt senior Joey Peters and junior Bobby Baker each earned All-America status in the all-around, and Baker earned another on parallel bars. Redshirt junior Chandler Eggleston has been named an All-American on floor and vault, while junior Tyson Bull and sophomore Alex Diab earned the honor on high bar. Junior Brandon Ngai, as a national champion, garnered All-America status on pommel horse.

UP NEXT

After Windy City, the Illini will head to Arizona State to take on the Sun Devils on Saturday, Jan. 21.