Champaign, ILL.– Center Kofi Cockburn (Kingston, Jamaica) announced Saturday afternoon that he will return to Illinois for the 2020-21 season, posting "I'm back" graphics on Twitter and Instagram.
Cockburn was named Big Ten Freshman of the year after averaging 13.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. His average of 8.8 boards set the Illini freshman rebounding record, and he ranked fifth among NCAA freshmen with 12 double-doubles to set another UI rookie record.
Illinois now returns four starters from its resurgent 2019-20 season. The Illini went 21-10 overall and 13-7 in the Big Ten to finish one-game back of the league title while ending the year ranked No. 21 in the AP poll.
KOFI COCKBURN | 2019-20 HIGHLIGHTS
- Helped lead Illinois to its most Big Ten wins (13) since 2005 and the program's first top-25 ranking (No. 21) in the final season poll since 2006
- Big Ten Freshman of the Year (coaches & media)
- Big Ten Newcomer of the Year (AP)
- Big Ten All-Freshman Team
- Third-team All-Big Ten (media)
- Honorable mention All-Big Ten (coaches)
- Illinois Freshman of the Year
- Seven-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, tying the second-most awards in B1G history (Nov. 11, Nov. 25, Dec. 9, Dec. 16, Dec. 30, Jan. 13, Jan. 27)
- Big Ten Player of the Week (Nov. 25)
- Second on team and 13th in Big Ten in scoring at 13.3 ppg
- Sixth in B1G and fourth among NCAA freshmen in rebounding at 8.8 rpg
- 12 double-doubles, ranking fifth among all freshmen nationally and doubling the previous Illini freshman season record
- Top rebounding freshman in Illini history and No. 5 freshman scorer in school history
- Highest rebounding average (8.8 rpg) and most double-doubles (12) by an Illini player in the last 10 seasons
- Third in B1G and 23rd in NCAA in offensive rebounds (3.5 rpg)
- Shot 53.2% from the field (151-284)
- Led Illini with 44 blocked shots (11th in B1G)
- 24 games scoring in double figures, with five 20-point performances
- 12 points and eight boards in win over No. 18 Iowa (March 8), preserving the victory by blocking Luka Garza's shot with 1 second left
- 15 points and career-high 6 blocked shots in win over Indiana (March 1), with the 6 blocks ranking fifth-most in school history
- 12th double-double of season with 12 points and game-high 14 rebounds in win at Northwestern (Feb. 27)
- 15 points and 10 rebounds in win over Nebraska (Feb. 24)
- 11 points and eight boards vs. Michigan State (Feb. 11), hitting two free throws with 19 seconds left to put Illini up by one
- 13 points and 10 boards in win over Minnesota (Jan. 30)
- Game highs of 22 points and 15 boards in win at Purdue (Jan. 21)
- 11 points and career-high tying 17 boards in win over Rutgers (Jan. 11)
- Career-high 26 points in win over North Carolina A&T (Dec. 29)
- Game-high 19 points and 10 boards with four blocks in win over No. 5 Michigan (Dec. 11)
- Game-high 23 points on 8-8 FG and 7-8 FT vs. Miami (Dec. 2)
- 20 points on 8-10 FG/4-4 FT and 13 boards vs. Hampton (Nov. 23)
- Game-high 18 points and 17 boards in win over The Citadel (Nov. 20), setting Illini single-game freshman rebounding record
- Game highs of 23 points and 14 boards in win at Grand Canyon (Nov. 8)
- Double-double in collegiate debut with 10 points and 11 boards vs. Nicholls (Nov. 5)
