Brynn Shoup-Hill did not know what to expect when she arrived in Champaign after playing in a very limited role as a freshman at Dayton last season. She was already familiar with the coaching staff and one of her teammates – Makira Cook, who also transferred from Dayton, but with very little college experience under her belt, Shoup-Hill was not sure how to envision her role with the Illini.
"I had a really big opportunity: I could either play a lot or I could not play at all," Shoup-Hill said. "I think I didn't really have any expectations coming in. It was just trying to see where I fit in best."
With Illinois now in the final stretch of its 2022-23 campaign, Shoup-Hill made 27 consecutive starts, ranging from the season opener to Illinois' win over Penn State on Feb. 19, for this resurgent and re-energized Illini program and has amassed career-best marks in almost every statistical category.
Shoup-Hill focused on spending time with Kilee Fletcher, the team's strength coach, during the offseason to improve speed and agility. Standing at 6-foot-3, she used these areas to improve her defensive versatility and be better suited to guard all five positions.
Defensive improvement and dominance are what keeps Shoup-Hill in the rotation, she says, something she attributes to her offseason work.
"It's what's getting me more minutes," Shoup-Hill said. "At the start of the season, I wasn't scoring as well, but I still got minutes because of my defense. I think that's what improved the most from last year to this year. I think that's what's gonna keep me on the floor."
Though she takes pride in her defense, Shoup-Hill has started to find her offensive groove. She has registered double-digit points seven times and has grown more comfortable with her 3-point shooting, making 40.5% of her attempts and averaging just under three shots from deep per game.
Shoup-Hill also dominates on the glass, grabbing 5.6 rebounds and two offensive boards per game, with both marks ranking third on the Illini.
While she has seen improvements in her first year competing in the Big Ten, Shoup-Hill is appreciative of her family, who is able to attend both home and away games. From Goshen, Indiana, Shoup-Hill's family could not travel to as many road contests because the Atlantic 10 consists primarily of East Coast-based schools.
Both of her parents are teachers and can't travel the four hours west to Champaign during the school week, yet she is grateful for their support as she competes for the Orange and Blue.
"They've been coming to a lot more games," Shoup-Hill said. "It actually caught me by surprise, but they make the time to be able to come. I really appreciate them."
Despite being fairly quiet and reserved, Shoup-Hill has embraced the leadership role that came with implementing a new culture and identity at Illinois. From not knowing what to expect in her sophomore season to becoming a regular starter and contributor, Shoup-Hill is enjoying life in Champaign and will continue to play a big part in the Illini's success moving forward.
"At Dayton, I struggled a little bit just getting used to college and being away from home," Shoup-Hill said. "With a whole new program with a bunch of veterans as well, it was kind of hard to get used to. Coming here, since the team is so new, that's kind of what made it easy. Everyone was trying to get used to it, everyone was really welcoming, and I was just learning along with everyone else."
