CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Fighting Illini women's basketball head coach Nancy Fahey announced Wednesday the addition of transfer student-athletes Sara Anastasieska and Kendall Bostic to the U of I program. Both players have signed a Big Ten Tender of Financial Aid, and will join the Illini for the 2021-22 season.

Bostic comes to Illinois as an undergraduate transfer from Michigan State, while Anastasieska joins the Illini as a graduate transfer from Duke. The duo joins November signees Adalia McKenzie, Jayla Oden, and Keanna Rembert as the newest members of the Illini program.

SARA ANASTASIESKA | 5-11 | GUARD | SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA | DUKE

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Played for Duke in 2020-21, averaging 10.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
• Tallied 23 points, including five three-pointers, in Duke's win over Western Carolina.
• Began her collegiate career at Texas-San Antonio in 2015-16, where she played in 25 of 29 games and averaged 4.8 points and 1.7 rebounds over 13.5 minutes per contest as a true freshman for the Roadrunners before transferring to Cal.
• As a redshirt-senior at Cal, appeared in 29 games with 25 starts, averaging 7.8 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists, while knocking down 27 three-pointers.
• Scored a career-high 25 points for the Golden Bears against then-No.5 UConn, including a 5-for-10 showing from three-point range against the Huskies.
• Represented her native country of Australia on the U19 and U17 National Teams in 2015 and 2014, respectively, and helped Australia qualify for the 2014 U17 World Championships. 
• Was named Most Valuable Player of her New South Wales team at the U20 National Championships in 2015, starting every game and averaging 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest.

Why Illinois: "The University of Illinois is the perfect place for me to complete my collegiate basketball career. I thrive in an environment where I am pushed and challenged to become better, not only on the court and in the classroom, but as a person. Through conversations with the staff and players, I could tell that this is a program and school where I will be immersed in that type of environment. As a basketball player, I'm ready to utilize my skill set, leadership, and drive in a way that will have an immediate impact and lead to a great year for us as a team."

Fahey's Take: "I am extremely excited to welcome Sara to our Illini Family. Sara comes to our program with a wealth of experience and knowledge of the game. Her scorer's mentality and ability to get off closely guarded shots and score at a high percentage from the three-point line make her an immediate offensive threat.  Sara's work ethic in the classroom and on the court make her an excellent fit for our program."

KENDALL BOSTIC | 6-2 | FORWARD | KOKOMO, INDIANA | MICHIGAN STATE

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Rated as a four-star prospect and ranked as the No. 65 overall recruit and No. 16 forward in the class of 2020 by ESPN HoopGurlz.
• Played in 22 games as a freshman at Michigan State in 2020-21, averaging 4.2 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting nearly 54 percent from the floor.
• Scored a career-best 15 points in her collegiate debut, a win over St. Francis (Pa.), and posted 13 points in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals vs. Iowa.
• Led Northwestern High School to back-to-back Indiana State Championships during her sophomore and junior seasons.   
• Became just the seventh player in Indiana history to score more than 2,000 points (2,032) and grab more than 1,000 rebounds (1,040) in her high school career.
• As a senior, averaged 20.2 points and 10.5 rebounds, earning Indiana All-Star honors, first-team AP all-state accolades, and becoming an Indiana Miss Basketball finalist.
• As a junior, averaged 18.7 points and 9.2 rebounds, earning state championship Player of the Game accolades, along with AP first-team all-state and co-Player of the Year honors.

Why Illinois: "I chose Illinois because I believe I can have an impact and make a difference within the program. I would love to play in the postseason and believe the culture and style of play Coach Fahey has developed at Illinois will allow this team to achieve that. I love the coaching staff and can't wait to get on the court with my teammates; I am very excited for the future!"

Fahey's Take: "Kendall Bostic is an exciting addition to our 2021 roster.  She has an uncanny ability to rebound and score multiple ways from the four position. Kendall's high school numbers - over 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds - speak to her championship mindset and work ethic. Her maturity, experience and passion to excel both on and off the court make her a great addition to our Illini family and program."