The Fighting Illini (also known as The Illini ) are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports. The University operates a number of athletic facilities, including Memorial Stadium for football, the Assembly Hall for men's basketball, and the Atkins Tennis Center for men's and women's tennis. The Fighting Illini lay claim to over twenty-five National Championships dating back to 1900. However, the Illini have won just two National Championships since 1958 — Men's Tennis in 2003 and Men's Gymnastics in 1989.

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Organization

The University's Division of Intercollegiate Athletics administers the official athletics teams of the University. All of the University's athletics teams participate in the NCAA's Division I, and form the Big Ten Conference with 10 other primarily midwestern universities. The football team participates in a subdivision within the Division I known as Division I-A.

Men's Sports

Baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, tennis, track and field, and wrestling.

Women's Sports

Basketball, cheerleading, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

Athletic Accomplishments

Baseball

• Big Ten Champions : 1900, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1921, 1922, 1927, 1931, 1934, 1937, 1940, 1947, 1948, 1952, 1953, 1962, 1963, 1989, 1990, 1998, 2005

Basketball: Men

• National Champions : 1915 (Mythical National Championship awarded by the Helms Athletic Foundation in 1935)
• NCAA Runner Up : 2005
• NCAA Final Four : 1949, 1951, 1952, 1989, 2005
• Big Ten Champions : 1915, 1917, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1963, 1984, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005
• Big Ten Tournament Champions : 2003, 2005

Basketball: Women

• Big Ten Champions : 1997

Cross Country: Men

• Big Ten Champions : 1921, 1947, 1984

Fencing: Men

• National Champions : 1956, 1958

Football

• National Champions : 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1951
• Big Ten Champions : 1910, 1914, 1915, 1918, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1928, 1946, 1951, 1953, 1963, 1983, 1990, 2001
• Bowl Game Victories : 1946 Rose Bowl, 1951 Rose Bowl, 1963 Rose Bowl, 1989 Florida Citrus Bowl, 1994 Liberty Bowl, 1999 MicronPC.com Bowl

Golf: Men

• Big Ten Champions : 1923, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1940, 1941, 1988, 2009

Gymnastics: Men

• NCAA National Champions : 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1989
• Big Ten Champions : 1911, 1912, 1929, 1935, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1981, 1983, 1988, 1989, 2004, 2005, 2009

Gymnastics: Women

• Big Ten Champions : 1990

Swimming and Diving: Men

• Big Ten Champions : 1911, 1912, 1913

Tennis: Men

• NCAA National Champions : 2003
• NCAA National Runner-up : 2007
• Big Ten Champions : 1914, 1917, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1946, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
• Big Ten Tournament Champions : 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

Track and Field: Men

INDOOR

• NCAA National Champions : 1921, 1926, 1943, 1945, 1946
• Big Ten Champions : 1912, 1913, 1914, 1916, 1920, 1921, 1924, 1928, 1946, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1977, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1989

OUTDOOR

• NCAA National Champions : 1921, 1927 ^[1], 1944, 1946, 1947
• Big Ten Champions : 1907, 1909, 1913, 1914, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1934, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1975, 1977, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994

Track and Field: Women

INDOOR

• Big Ten Champions : 1989, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996

OUTDOOR

• Big Ten Champions : 1988, 1989, 1992, 1995, 2005, 2007

Volleyball

• NCAA Final Four : 1987, 1988
• Big Ten Champions : 1986, 1987, 1988, 1992

Wrestling

• Big Ten Champions : 1913, 1917, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1932, 1935, 1937, 1946, 1947, 1952, 2005

Famous athletes

• Nick Anderson - basketball (1987-1989), played professionally for the NBA's Orlando Magic and Sacramento Kings
• James Augustine - basketball (2002-2006), played two seasons for the NBA's Orlando Magic, all-time leader in rebounds at Illinois
• Kenny Battle - basketball, played in 4 NBA seasons for the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors
• Lou Boudreau - baseball, played professionally for and managed the Cleveland Indians, and an enshrined member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
• Dee Brown - basketball (2002-2006), played two seasons for the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards, 2005 Consensus All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year
• Dick Butkus - football, (1962-1964) played linebacker for the NFL's Chicago Bears, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Brian Cook - basketball (1999-2003), Third all time scorer for the Illini, currently plays professionally for the Orlando Magic
• Charles Carroll "Tony" Eason - football, (1979 - 1983) played professionally for the New England Patriots; led team to Super Bowl XX
• Dike Eddleman - football, basketball, and track and field (1947-49), also tied for 2nd at the 1948 Summer Olympics in the high jump
• Perdita Felicien, track and field, first female in Illinois history to win a gold medal in an individual event at the World Championships
• Darrin Fletcher-Former catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
• Jeff George - football, first overall pick of 1990 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, also played for a variety of teams including the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, and the Washington Redskins
• Kendall Gill - basketball (1986-1990), 1990 consensus All-American and Big 10 Player of the Year, played professionally for 15 seasons in the NBA
• Red Grange - football (1923-1925), played professionally for the NFL's Chicago Bears, and an enshrined member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• George Halas - football, professional player, coach, and owner of the NFL's Chicago Bears, and an enshrined member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Lowell Hamilton - Basketball, Played Professional Basketball in Greece.
• Derek Harper - basketball (1980-1983), played professionally for 16 seasons in the NBA, ranked 11th all-time in steals and 17th in assists
• Luther Head - basketball (2001-2005), guard for the Houston Rockets
• Brad Hopkins - football, first round pick in the 1993 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans and future all-pro.
• Eddie Johnson - basketball, played professionally for 17 seasons in the NBA, and the league's 35th all-time leading scorer
• Johnny "Red" Kerr - basketball, member of the 1952 Final Four team, played professionally for 11 seasons in the NBA, first head coach for both the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns, and a former broadcaster for the Chicago Bulls.
• Herbert "Herb" Henry McKenley (1946-48), NCAA and Olympic champion sprinter and 400 meter runner from Jamaica.
• Ray Nitschke - football, played professionally for the NFL's Green Bay Packers, and an enshrined member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Ken Norman - basketball (1984-1987), played professionally for 10 seasons in the NBA
• Harold Osborn - track & field (1918-1922), won two gold medals in the 1924 Summer Olympics, charter member of U.S. Track & Field Hall of Fame
• Roger Powell, Jr. - basketball (2001-2005), played briefly for the Utah Jazz

Marlon Primous- Played briefly for the Chicago Bears. Holds record for most career starts at Illinois.

• Simeon Rice - football, played professionally for the NFL's Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Bob Richards - pole vaulter and decathlete, Olympic pole vault champion, 1952 and 1956
• Scott Spiezio - baseball, has played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, Anaheim Angels, and Seattle Mariners
• Justin Spring - gymnastics (2002-2006), member of the bronze medal-winning men's gymnastics team at the 2008 Summer Olympics
• Cindy Stein - basketball, head women's basketball coach at the University of Missouri since 1998
• Steve Stricker - golf (1986-1990), PGA Golfer (1990-present)
• Frank Williams - basketball, has been part of the NBA's New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Clippers
• Marques Sullivan, football, Playboy All-American Tackle that played 4 season with NFL's Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, and New England Patriots
• Deron Williams - basketball (2002-2005), point guard for the Utah Jazz, third overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.
• Craig Virgin - long-distance runner, 1975 NCAA cross country champion, 1980 and 1981 world cross-country champion.
• D. A. Points - PGA Golfer (1999-present)

Men's Basketball: 1988-1989 season

• Overall record: (31-5)
• Head coach: Lou Henson

Notable Players:

• Stephen Bardo
• Kenny Battle
• Kendall Gill
• Nick Anderson
• Lowell Hamilton
• Marcus Liberty
• PJ Bowman

Story: Ranked #1 during the regular season. Known for their athletic style. Defeated in the Final Four of the 1989 NCAA Tournament, by the Michigan Wolverines even though they had defeated them twice during the regular season. Michigan went on to win the National Championship.

Men's Basketball: 2004–2005 season

• Overall record (tournaments included): 37–2
• Regular season: 29–1
• Big Ten Conference play: 15–1
• Head coach: Bruce Weber

Starters:

• G - Deron Williams
• G - Dee Brown
• G - Luther Head
• F - Roger Powell, Jr
• F - James Augustine

Story: The first Illinois men's basketball team to be ranked number one in the polls since Lou Henson's "Flying Illini" of 1989. Illinois won the Big Ten Tournament and were the overall number one seed in the 2005 NCAA Tournament, eventually losing to the University of North Carolina, the number two overall seed, in the finals, 75–70. This Illinois team tied the NCAA record at that time for most wins in a season with 37 and was undefeated until losing the final game of the regular season at Ohio State by the score of 64–65.

Controversy

thumb A symbol/mascot of the University's athletic teams was, from 1926–2007, a Native American figure, Chief Illiniwek, who sparked significant controversy beginning in the 1980s. Critics of the Chief claimed that it was a racist stereotype and a symbol of the oppression to Native Americans that took place in past American history. Supporters claimed that it was inoffensive and a source of pride and reverence to the Native American heritage of Illinois Past Sioux elder, Frank Fools Crow, made and sold an authentic ceremonial costume and headdress to the university; recently, the Oglala Sioux tribe demanded the costume and headdress back from the university, though this move was opposed by one of Fools Crow's descendants .

The University was (and is) deeply divided on this issue; while some of the faculty condemned the symbol, the administration remained supportive of it. The University Board of Trustees announced on February 16, 2007, that the Chief's last public performance would be the final home game of the 2006–2007 Men's Basketball season. The name "Fighting Illini" was retained, as the NCAA rescinded its criticism of the use of the term. The name "Fighting Illini" pre-dates the Chief Illiniwek symbol and was bestowed upon the team in honor of Illinoisans who fought in World War I; the use of the name "Illini" dates to the 19th century.

References

1. The Illini were voted unofficial National Champions in 1927, since the NCAA did not hold a National Championship competition that year.