Shauna Green has a deeper Illinois roster — and she plans to use it

Champaign, Illinois - The Fighting Illini are set to field a larger roster this season, with head coach Shauna Green planning to utilize eight or nine players. As the preseason begins, Green has been giving more playing time to transfers and freshmen, who have been stepping up and developing during their first season on the team. Divine Bourrage, who transferred from LSU, has been learning to adapt to the new environment and role. Green has placed Bourrage in the four position, where she has excelled.

The returning senior Maddie Webber, last season’s third leading scorer with 10.8 points per game, is expected to continue her all-around play. With a deep bench, the Illini boast strong bigs such as Lety Vasconcelos, who returns at the five position after recovering from an ACL tear, and Manuella Alves, who will join Vasconcelos after her own injury healing.

Sophomore Cearah Parchment, who led the team in both scoring (463 points) and rebounding (285 rebounds) last season, continues to be a key contributor despite being used at multiple positions.

Green envisions a more positionless team dynamic, with her deeper roster allowing her to place any player at any spot with success. She looks forward to potentially having the entire roster return for the upcoming season, which would create a formidable team to watch.