CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini women's basketball student-athletes have had a busy summer of growth, both on and off the court. In addition to the new-look squad taking the court together for the first time, student-athletes took advantage of numerous opportunities with the Illini Way Student-Athlete Development program.
Head coach Shauna Green's unit returns three players with a start in the Orange and Blue under their belts: Jasmine Brown-Hagger, Berry Wallace, and Gretchen Dolan. Each of those individuals represented Illinois at an event this summer in addition to the whole team taking part in events on campus.
Wallace attended the 2025 Black Student Athlete Summit, held in Chicago from May 21-24 at McCormick Place. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the annual summit brought together more than 1,300 student-athletes, administrators, educators, and leaders from across the country to empower and elevate the experiences of Black student-athletes. Wallace, a rising sophomore, was one of six Fighting Illini selected to attend the event.
Dolan attended the inaugural Big Ten Student-Athlete Leadership Retreat. The event took place at the league offices in Rosemont, Illinois, from June 16-18. The retreat was designed by the conference to engage, educate, and empower student-athletes by strengthening their leadership abilities, building teamwork, and fostering personal growth. The attendees experienced several different workshops covering leadership training, financial literacy, mental health, and brand building while also having the ability to listen to dynamic guest speakers. The retreat emphasized self-reflection, clear communication, and the development of core values, equipping student-athletes to become more impactful leaders within their teams, campuses, and communities. The participants also had the opportunity to attend a networking event with alumni from across the different member institutions.
Brown-Hagger attended the Illini Way Career Tour from June 24-25 in Chicago. The event was a two-day experiential learning trip designed to expose student-athletes to diverse industries, develop their professional and networking skills, and connect them with employers and Illinois alumni. This summer's stops included Ferrara, tms, McDonald's, Madison Industries, and Instacart. From informative pitch decks to panel discussions, immersive office tours to authentic networking moments, student-athletes didn't just learn about careers; they envisioned themselves in them. Equally important, they began planting the seeds of relationships with alumni and employers.
Back on campus, the team participated in multiple events, including the Tom Jones Challenger League All Star Game and a Spikeball Tournament fundraiser in conjunction with Uplifting Athletes.
The Illini's newest assistant coach, Jackie Alexander, took part in her own professional development, as she was selected to attend the TopConnect Basketball Symposium. Hosted in Orlando, Florida, on June 9, the annual event identifies the top assistant basketball coaches in the country and connects them with mid-major athletic directors, providing tremendous networking and leadership development opportunities for both parties.
Over the summer, a trio of Illini student-athletes represented their home countries on the international stage while further developing their game and athletic networks. Manuella Alves earned a spot on Brazil's 2025 FIBA Women's AmeriCup Roster and helped her country to a silver medal in the event. Alves, as well as Irene Noya Catoira (Spain) and Cearah Parchment (Canada), all earned roster spots for the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup. Noya Catoira and Spain medaled, taking home the bronze.
Season tickets to catch the 2025-26 Illinois women's basketball squad in action from State Farm Center are on sale now and can be purchased HERE.
