Petra Holešínská
Women's Basketball
Marketing

Behind a game-high 28 points from redshirt-junior Petra Holešínská, the Illinois women's basketball team earned its first Big Ten Conference win of the season in a gritty 74-71 victory over Minnesota on Sunday (Jan. 12) in State Farm Center.

Holešínská went 9-of-15 from the field, including three three-pointers that moved her into sole possession of sixth place with 135 career three-pointers, while also notching a 7-of-9 mark from the free-throw line.

With three three-pointers in the game, Holešínská moves into sole possession of sixth place with 135 career treys, passing Melissa Parker (1996-00) with 133 threes. The redshirt-junior is now 14 threes away from moving into a tie with Kyley Simmons (2015-16) with 149 treys.

Mia Takekawa
Women's Gymnastics
Engineering

Fighting Illini freshman Mia Takekawa has been named both the Big Ten Gymnast and Freshman of the Week for the second straight week. Takekawa led the Illini to a first-place finish in a tri meet with Lindenwood and Temple, winning the all-around title with a score of 39.350 and recording the first 10.0 on beam in Illinois history. 

The Sacramento, California, native is tied for third in the country in average beam score at 9.950, 13th in average all-around score at 39.350, and tied for 27th on bars at 9.850. She becomes the first Illini to win back-to-back Big Ten Gymnast of the Week honors since Alina Weinstein on February 11 and 18, 2013 and just the fourth to win multiple Gymnast of the Week honors in the same season. Takekawa is the first Illinois gymnast to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Week in consecutive weeks and the fourth to earn multiple Freshman of the Week awards in the same season.

Takekawa and the No. 13 Illini return to action at 1 pm CT Saturday at Huff Hall against Michigan in a battle of the top two teams in the Big Ten from 2019.