2016 Soccer Roster
Jersey Number 1
Claire Wheatley
- Height:
- 5-9
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Plano, Texas
- High School:
- Plano West Senior
Honors
- 2016 Academic All-Big Ten
- 2016 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (10/10)
- 2015 Fall Academic All-Big Ten
- 2014 Fall Academic All-Big Ten
- 2014 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 3)
- 2014 College Sports Madness National Defensive Player of the Week and Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week (Nov. 3)
Senior - 2016
- Made 13 appearances and 11 starts in goal for the Orange and Blue
- Grabbed 38 saves on the year moving her career total to 292, the second-most in Illini history
- Recorded a season-high eight saves against No. 19 Michigan (10/6) to earn her second shutout of the season
- Shut out three opponents ont he year, including ranked opponents Rutgers and Michigan
- Finished with a 3-5-2 record on the year
Junior - 2015
- Started and played the full time in each of Illinois' 19 games
- Recorded four shutouts on the season and finished with a 10-6-3 record
- Finished the season with 87 saves, moving up to second on Illinois' career saves lists
- Grabbed a season-high nine saves against Michigan State (Oct. 8)
Sophomore - 2014
- Played 20 games and started 18 times in the net
- Finished the season with an 8-7-2 record, six of those wins being shutouts alone and two with the help of Michelle Denley
- Had two assists, against Purdue (Sept. 21) and Ohio State (Sept. 26)
- Played all 90 minutes against Michigan State (Oct 24.) and shut them down
- Made a whopping, season-high of 10 saves to shut out No. 11 Wisconsin (Oct. 31)
- Finished the season with 66 saves
Freshman - 2013
- Played all 23 games and made 22 starts as goalkeeper
- Turned in an 11-9-2 record with one full shutout and two partial shutouts in her debut season
- Ranked second in the Big Ten with 101 saves and became the third Illini to make 100-plus saves in a season
- Averaged 4.39 saves per game
- Earned her first career shutout with a career-high 11 saves during a double overtime 0-0 draw against No. 21 Washington State (11/16) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
- Also made two saves during the penalty kick shootout against WSU
- Was named Player of the Week by Top Drawer Soccer and Chicagoland Soccer News following her top performance of the season against the Cougars
- Made nine saves in her Illini debut at Notre Dame (8/23)
- Also had nine saves vs. Wisconsin (10/12)
- Played the first 83 minutes in the shutout of FIU (9/15)
- Played the final 80 minutes in the shutout of Michigan State (10/27)
High School
- Won back-to-back Texas 5A state championships
- Member of U.S. U17 Women's National Team
- Selected for U.S. Women's National Team U20 player pool
- District 11-5A Goalkeeper of the Year in 2011 and 2013
- Member of first team All-State in 2013
- Played with 2013 TASCO All-Star team
- All-State tournament team selection in 2012 and 2013
- First-team All-District 2012-13
- Awarded State Championship Player of the Game in 2012
- First-team All-Area selection in 2013
- National AP Scholar and member of National Honors Society in 2012-13
- Went undefeated during senior season allowing only five goals against
- Lettered all four years in soccer and captained the team for two years
Personal
- Born Feb. 14, 1995
- Parents are Ray and Vicki Wheatley
- Majoring in finance
- Biggest thrill in sports is making a big save in a crucial moment of a game
- Favorite athlete is Briana Scurry
- Hobbies include art and reading
Illinois Soccer I NCAA Tournament Postgame Press Conference vs. Memphis 11/15/25
Monday, November 17
Illinois Soccer I Head Coach Katie Hultin Media Availability Ahead of NCCA Tournament 11/12/25
Wednesday, November 12
After 23 Years, Illinois Soccer Starts a New Chapter
Wednesday, August 06
Meet Katie Hultin: Illinois Soccer’s New Leader
Sunday, June 15
