Illinois has had an up-and-down preseason. But through it all, middle blocker Ali Bastianelli has been a rock. Her 1.83 blocks per set ranks her second in the nation. In a five-set victory over Purdue this past weekend, she put away 10 block assists and one solo block.

A few days later, Bastianelli collected five block assists in a sweep of Rutgers. She also contributes offensively, ranking fifth on the team so far this season with 69 kills, hitting .386.

The 6-foot-3 sophomore from Marysville, Michigan, earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2015.

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