Sep 24, TBD
Clark (MA) vs WPI
Sep 24, TBD
United States Coas vs M.I.T.
Sep 24, TBD
Wellesley College[ vs Salve Regina
Sep 24, TBD
Springfield vs Wheaton
Sep 24, TBD
Emerson College vs Babson College
Sep 24, TBD
Smith College vs Mount Holyoke Coll
Sep 28, TBD
Mount Holyoke Coll vs Salve Regina
Sep 28, TBD
Smith College vs Clark (MA)
Sep 28, TBD
Emerson College vs WPI
Sep 28, TBD
M.I.T. vs Springfield
Sep 28, TBD
Wellesley College[ vs Wheaton
Sep 28, TBD
Babson College vs United States Coas
Oct 1, TBD
Springfield vs Clark (MA)
Oct 1, TBD
Salve Regina vs M.I.T.
Oct 1, TBD
Wheaton vs United States Coas
2019-2020 Big Ten Women's Volleyball

Big Ten Snapshots: The Fighting Illini Have Big Shoes To Fill

Big Ten Snapshots: The Fighting Illini Have Big Shoes To Fill

Illinois made it all the way to the final four last year, finishing the season as the No. 3 team in the country with a 32-4 overall record.

Aug 29, 2019 by Megan Kaplon
Big Ten Snapshots: The Fighting Illini Have Big Shoes To Fill

In the world of NCAA women’s volleyball, there’s no conference quite like the Big Ten. Heading into the 2019 season, seven of the 14 teams appeared in the AVCA preseason top-25 poll. Five of those seven ranked in the top 10. 

FloVolleyball will be your go-to spot to stream Big Ten matches this season. Click here for the schedule of matches.

*Schedule is subject to change. Every Big Ten's women's volleyball match available on BTN Plus also will be available live and on-demand on FloVolleyball. 

This week, we're bringing you a quick rundown of all 14 teams in the Big Ten, so you can know what to expect as teams get the season rolling this weekend.

Illinois Fighting Illini

2018 Record: 32-4 (17-3 Big Ten)

2018 Postseason: NCAA Final Four

2019 AVCA National Preseason Ranking: 6

2019 Big Ten Preseason Ranking: 5

Illinois made it all the way to the final four last year, finishing the season as the No. 3 team in the country with a 32-4 overall record. But heading into 2019, the Illini have to fill massive gaping holes left by the graduation of First Team All-American setter Jordyn Poulter and Second Team All-American middle blocker Ali Bastianelli. 


Poulter served as the starting setting for Illinois for all four of her seasons in Champaign, so the Illini will be fielding a new setter for the first time since 2015. Redshirt freshman Diana Brown and sophomore Auburn transfer Mica Allison, who was the 2017-18 Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year, will be the top contenders to place Poulter in the starting lineup.


A true freshman will have to fill Bastianelli’s spot in the middle as senior Ashlyn Fleming is the only returning middle on the roster. Head coach Chris Tamas has four rookie middles to choose from in Ellie Holzman (the 2018-19 National Gatorade Player of the Year), Kennedy Collins, Rylee Hinton, and Kyla Swanson (a 2018 AVCA Under Armour Second Team All-American).

First Team All-American outside hitter Jacqueline Quade, now a senior, will once again be the go-to offensive player for the Illini after tallying 560 total kills, good for sixth in the country. The native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was unanimously named to the preseason All-Big Ten team.


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