NIL Opportunities

University of Illinois Graduate

2022 Senior

• Academic All-Big Ten
• Played in all 13 games at tight end
• Nine receptions for 142 yards and two touchdowns on the season
• Led Illinois tight ends in receiving touchdowns (2)
• Tied career high with two receptions in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Mississippi State 1/2/23
• Career highs in receptions (2), receiving yards (43), and longest reception (39) against Virginia 9/10/22
• Touchdowns against Virginia 9/10/22 and Chattanooga 9/22/22
• Illinois’ Paul and Tiz Bresee/Illini FamILLy Award winner
• Illinois’ Tim McCarthy Scholarship winner
• Allstate Good Works Team nominee

2021 Senior

• Academic All-Big Ten
• Played in 12 games with one start
• Two receptions for 30 yards on the season
• First career reception at Minnesota
• Wuerffel Trophy watch list
• Allstate Good Works Team nominee
• Switched to tight end during 2021 spring practices
• Awarded with a scholarship by head coach Bret Bielema during team meeting 4/6/21 (video)

2020 Senior

• Academic All-Big Ten
• Played in four games and started two at linebacker
• 16 tackles and one PBU on the season
• Made first start of the season at Northwestern 12/12/20 

2019 Junior

• Academic All-Big Ten
• Played in 12 games, primarily on special teams
• Five tackles, one interception on the season
• Second career interception at UConn 9/7/19

2018 Sophomore

• Academic All-Big Ten
• Played 11 games with three starts at safety
• 21 tackles, two PBUs, one interception, one fumble recovery and one QB hurry on season
• Career-high 11 tackles at Northwestern 11/24/18
• First career start and first career interception against Western Illinois 9/8/18
• Missed the season opener with an injury
• Academic All-Big Ten

2017 Freshman

• Walk-on played in five games, primarily on special teams
• Two tackles, one fumble recovery on the season
• Made his Illinois debut against Wisconsin in the eighth game of the season
• First career fumble recovery on a muffed punt at Purdue

High School

• Two-year letterwinner in football
• Three-year letterwinner in baseball
• All-conference and all-area selection in football
• Four-time member of the Green Honor Roll

Personal

• Born October 23, 1998
• Son of John and Julie Marchese
• Three brothers, Joe, Jim and Henry
• Father played football at Iowa from 1982-86
• Twin brother Henry played football at Iowa from 2017-21
• Brother, Jimmy, played football at Illinois from 2015-18
• Brother, Joe, played football at Maryland from 2013-17
• Uncle, Dan, played football at Army from 1978-82
• Chose Illinois because, “The academic and athletic excellence of the school and I loved the campus, the people and the coaching staff.”
• Plans to work in football or business/law after playing career
• Graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics
• Graduated with a master's degree in management