Top 10 Illini athletes of the 2023-24 academic year (2024)

Edmond Ruth finished seventh at the NCAA Championships this season in the 174-pound weight class. He finished the season with a 64-12 record and finished seventh all-time in program history with an 84.2% winning percentage in a single season. Ruth was named an All-American and a First Team All-Big Ten selection while winning the Big Ten in his weight class.

"I'm happy for Edmond Ruth,"Illini head coach Mike Poetasaid. "He's happy and feels good right now and as a coach if you can help one of your guys feel like that, it's what this whole thing is about. He's been going in the right direction since he stepped foot on campus. First a national qualifier, now an All-American and I know next year he's going to do everything to be on top. Edmond wrestled great all season, but I think he wrestled his best match in the last one of the season for seventh place. He had beautiful takedown after takedown and our fan section was loving it. He documented all his extra workouts throughout the season and he got to 115. I can guarantee there's no other wrestler in the country that did that, I'm proud of him."

Illinisophom*ore Tate Costaearned first place in the high bar at the 2024 NCAA Championships. He was an All-American in both the all-around and the high bar. It was thefirst time since 2018 that an athlete was named an All-American in two events. He's the program's first national champion on the high bar since 2015.Costa earned eight event titles during the season.

"It means the world," Costa told Fighting Illini Athletics reporter Jackson Janes. "I just got the job done on the day and was super excited to be able to come away with a national title. I was not walking into the meet planning on winning that, but executing on the day is what matters. I'm just happy to be able to do that."

A concussion to start the season slowed downMakira Cook for the early part of the regular season, but the dynamic guard found her rhythm near the middle of the season and led Illinois to the WBIT championship. Though Illinois preferred to be in the NCAA Tournament, winning the inaugural WBIT gave the program some momentum heading into the offseason.

Cook this season averaged 16.4 points on the season and shot 34.7% from the field and 35.4% on 3-pointers. She was aSecondTeam All-Big Ten selection and was named the WBIT's Most Outstanding Player. Though the start of the season was a bit slower, Cook found her stride down the stretch and was key for Illinois.

"I would describe this as just like a season of when adversity hits, address it, learn from it, move on from it and get better, and that's what we had to do on multiple occasions," Cook said. "We all stood up to the challenge as women and we really handled our business and we really locked in and focused on what we had to do.

"Like I know we have all been saying it but they say, it's not how you start, it's how you finish. So we really took pride in it because we didn't get off to the start we wanted but we got the finish that we wanted."

Camden Janik led the Illini in average, hits (80), doubles and on-base percentage and helped lead the team to the outright Big Ten championship and the first NCAA Tournament since 2019. The junior led the team with 24 multi-hit performances, posting 14 two-hit games and nine three-hit games, both of which also led the team.

Janik has also helped shut down opponents' running games, cutting down eight baserunners in 13 stolen-base attempts (61.5%). Janik's grand slam in the seventh inning on May 17 at Purdue ended up being the decisive swing in the game, leading Illinois to its first conference title since 2015.

Kendall Bostic had a slightly different role for the Illini this season, moving from a center to a stretch forward. But she still put together the same production and consistency she has throughout her career. Bostic averaged 12.1 points and 10.9 rebounds while shooting 40.9% on 3-pointers and 60.5% from the field. She was named to the WBIT All-Tournament team and was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection. Bostic led the Big Ten in rebounds per game for the third straight season and finished 10th nationally in rebounding.

While Illinois struggled to find its footing early in the year, Bostic was the team's most consistent player in the post and showed her ability to switch as a stretch four to allow for Camille Hobby to enter the starting lineup and pave the way for a late-season run to the postseason.

"I really think it just kind of sets us up for next season," Bostic said of the WBIT title. "You look at a lot of the teams playing in the Final Four now for the NCAA Tournament, they won the NIT or got close in the NIT. This is an important step for us and it puts us in some adverse situations and some high-stress situations. Championship games, the nerves are rolling pretty much the whole game. So just having some of our younger guys and even some of us that haven't had the opportunity to do that, I think it's really good setting us up for success next year."

The men's golf pairing deserves to be put together for their stellar seasons.

Jackson Buchanan was the Big Ten Golfer of the Year and an All-American while leading Illinois back to the match play in the NCAA Championships after a dominating showing in stroke play. He was the runner-up for the individual title at the Big Ten Championships and ranked second on the team with a stroke average of 70.92 as the team's No. 1 golfer. He had eight top-10 finishes, two individual victories and shot a 65 on five separate occasions.

"I'm just a little kid. I feel like Coach always tells me to grow up,' Buchanan said. "I still feel like the kid that picked up a golf club eight years ago in 2015. I try not to think about it too much because I have come a very long way in a short amount of time, but that's what growth is. That's what you do here at Illinois. You grow up and I think that kind of shows what Coach can do. It can take you to another level really."

Max Herendeen immediately impressed as a freshman, and he gave Illinois head coach Mike Small an exceptionally talented front-line golfer immediately -- and likely for a few more seasons. Herendeen was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and was a GCAA PING Second Team All-American. He tied for second individually during stroke play at the NCAA Championships.Herendeen led Illinois with a 70.87 stroke average, which was the 10th-best single-season average in program history and best by a freshman.

"It was obviously a goal of mine, but now we have new goals and I think that's really important," Herendeen said of winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year. "I'm a very goal-oriented person, so kind of a new goal now is for us to compete at a regional, individually for me and as a team. Obviously it was a great accomplishment. I'm very proud of what I've done this year, but now it's the next idea, the next goal."

Isaiah Williams became just the seventh Illinois wide receiver to be named to earn All-Big Ten First Team honors. The former quarterback had a stellar final collegiate season and led the Big Ten in receptions (82) and was second in the conference in receiving yards (1,055) in just his third season at wide receiver. He has since signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent.

Illinois made Williams a focal point in its offense and Williams evolved from more of a short-yardage receiver who used his quickness after the catch into an all-around receiver who was more of a downfield threat than at any other point in his football career. He was a two-time team captain and won the inaugural Loren Tate Award, given to the Illinois football player who not only is most cooperative with local media but exhibits himself with professional integrity in all interactions.

"Thankful. Just super thankful," Williams said of his time at Illinois. "I'm thankful for the things I gained from being at that program. First and foremost, I always say my faith, Jesus Christ. Going to that place, that place was special when it comes to that. That's why I say that place will always have a special place in my heart. Then being able to make some bowl games coming from when I was being recruited (after) a two-win season — they had two wins — man, it's special. Just leaving that place the way we left it. I'm thankful for it, but most importantly I feel like that place gave me more than I can ever give it, just the person I've become and the things I've gained. Just being here, thanks to that place."

Rose Yeboah ended a breakthrough Illini women's track season with fireworks.The Illini juniorwonthe national championship in the highjump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships by setting a personal best andbreaking an NCAA Championships record with amark of 1.97 meters. Thatjump alsoqualifiedthe Ghana native for the 2024 Olympics in Parisfor hitting the standard qualification height of 1.97m. Yeboah shared the national title with Georgia's Elena Kulichenko, who hit the same mark.

In her first season with Illinois, Yeboah was an indoor All-American in the high jump after placing eighth in the high jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships.Yeboah won the conference title in the high jump at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships (1.82m) and earned First Team All-Big Ten honors.

"Rose Yeboahwas the absolute highlight of our team in distinct fashion hitting the automatic qualification standard for the Paris Olympics.Winning an NCAA Championship is huge especially in an event that was the deepest in the history of the NCAA. Just to give context 1.97m was the winning jump at the Rio Olympics. Also,Darja Sopova'ssilver medal and massive school record was huge as well. This meet is all about quality and quality only. It has been our strategy to capitalize in events that are technical and hard to coach. It shows that it pays off in just year two. I'm very proud of our student-athletes and staff for an amazing and memorable year. I can't wait for next season to return all these outstanding student-athletes plus the new additions."

At this time last year, it would have been difficult to project the kind of season Marcus Domask had. The Southern Illinois transfer turned into the de facto point guard, the king of "booty ball" and one of the three best players for the Illini on a run to the Elite Eight. He was a First Team All-Big Ten selection in his lone season at Illinois after spending the first four years at Southern Illinois.

Domask was simply brilliant and helped navigate his team through Terrence Shannon Jr.'s six-game suspension in early January. Domask averaged 15.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting 45.3% from the field. He set a program record by shooting 87.2% from the free-throw line and had four double-doubles and recorded a triple-double in a win over Morehead State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

"It starts with (head coach Brad Underwood's) winning reputation," Domask said. "To be honest, some coaches that reached out to me in the portal and before they even said anything I know about their schools. I know they haven't had a lot of success. It was in the back of my mind. I wanted to go to a place where I can win games. Just his winning reputation and everything he's done so far in his career really made me trust and believe in him."

Jer'Zhan Newton was one, if not the, most dominant pass-rushing defensive tackles in the country this past season. He was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, was a Consensus All-American and a second-round draft pick of the Washington Commanders. As a redshirt junior this season, Newton led Illinois in quarterback hurries (nine), tackles for loss (8.5), sacks (7.5) — tied for second among Big Ten players — while leading all Power Five defensive linemen in both pressures (44) and snaps (749). Newton also led the nation with an Illinois-record four blocked kicks.

Newton leaves Illinois with his jersey hanging in the Smith Center and a plaque in Grange Grove to commemorate his All-American season.

"It's pretty cool. I remember last year right when they put Spoon's jersey up in the Smith Center I was like, 'Man, that's crazy. We were just on the same team and now he's got a plaque and his jersey hung up,'" Newton told Illini Inquirer. "I saw both of 'em and I was like, 'I've got to have that before I leave.' Just that people thought of me in that same area is pretty cool to me. Honestly, it's a blessing and an honor to be in the same boat as some of those people.

"Just changing the culture, honestly. I don't really pay attention too much to my personal accolades or anything like that. Just seeing how our young bucks, their demeanor and their work ethic is reflecting off of what I brought to the program. That's a great feeling to me."

Terrence Shannon Jr.had one of the best individual seasons in the history of a storied Illini men's basketball program, despite a midseason disruption. Shannonwas a First Team All-Big Ten selection and aSecond Team All-American by 247Sports and CBS Sports while being named a Third TeamAll-American by the Associated Press. As a senior, Shannon averaged 23.0 points (third in the country) and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 47.5% from the field and 36.2% on 3-pointers. He led Illinois back to the Elite Eight for the first time since the 2005 season.

Shannon missed six games in January after he was arrested on a charge of rape in Kansas in late December, won a federal case to have his team suspension overturned and led Illinois to a Big Ten Tournament title and Elite Eight appearance with one of the best seasons in Illini basketball history. His trial will begin on June 10. After he returned to the court, Shannon was among the best players in college basketball and had a dominant postseason en route to the Elite Eight.

"I mean it feels good to accomplish things, break records and have success with my team," Shannon said at the NBA Draft Combine last month. "We did a lot of things that people didn't think that we can do and just to prove people wrong. I feel like we did a really good job of just staying in our own lane and controlling what we can control. ...It felt good playing with my teammates again, playing a game that I love. It felt good. It felt really good."