Illinois State men’s basketball great Doug Collins ’73 was enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in August during festivities in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Appears InCollins was joined in the 2024 Hall of Fame class by 12 others including Chauncey Billups, Vince Carter, Seimone Augustus, Bo Ryan, Michael Cooper, Walter Davis, Charles Smith, Dick Barnett, Harley Redin, Michele Timms, Jerry West, and Herb Simon.
Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach/broadcaster, Collins also received the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 and was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. He remains the most decorated athlete in Illinois State history.
Hilbrandt named swimming and diving head coach
Riley Hilbrandt is the new head coach of the Illinois State women’s swimming and diving program.
“I am beyond grateful for all the members of the Athletics Department for putting their trust in me to lead Redbird swim and dive,” Hilbrandt said. “This program has had decades of success and been one of the top teams in the Missouri Valley Conference. To be a part of that tradition and community is something I will not take lightly. I promise to bring enthusiasm, grit, and the utmost dedication to assist these student-athletes to compete at an elite level both in the pool and classroom.”
Hilbrandt arrived at Illinois State after spending the past three seasons at East Carolina as an assistant coach. A former Division I swimmer at the University of Nevada, Hilbrandt previously coached at Clarion University and the College of Wooster.
‘When Women Win’ initiative announced
Interim Director of Athletics Jeri Beggs announced the launch of the “When Women Win” campaign. The focus of “When Women Win” will be to lead, empower, and advance. The group will not only publicize women’s sports in the community but also highlight women leaders in Bloomington-Normal and the impact of women supporting women. Corporate partners COUNTRY Financial and CEFCU have already signed on to support the initiative.
“Since I took this position, I have been inspired by the women I’ve met including student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni, and community leaders,” Dr. Beggs said.
“I am amazed at the ways I’ve seen women supporting women, and I want to find out what else is possible. I can only imagine what our community, our country, and our world could look like if females, young and old, were encouraged to reach their full potential.”
Women’s golf wins MVC Championship
For the second time in the past three years, the Illinois State women’s golf team took home the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, topping the field of a dozen schools at the tournament hosted at Annbriar Golf Course. The Redbirds never trailed the field in capturing the program’s 15th MVC Championship, the most in league history.
Ali Schrock ’23 tied for first in the field with a three-round 216, while Jinyoung Yun finished third with a 218. Illinois State advanced to the NCAA Regional in East Lansing, Michigan, where the Redbirds carded their lowest NCAA Regional team score in program history (918). Yun’s three-round 221 marked the lowest score by an Illinois State golfer in an NCAA Regional.
Mack, Labat wrap season at NCAA Regional
Two of Illinois State gymnastics’ best, junior Jaye Mack and senior Angelica Labat ’24, each competed in their third NCAA Regional in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
“Both Jaye and Angelica represented ISU, their team, and themselves very well,” Redbird gymnastics head coach
Bob Conkling said. “It was a little bittersweet for Angelica with it being her last competitive routine as a Redbird. It was a great way to end the season, and I am so proud of both of them. I can’t wait to see what Jaye and the rest of the team does next year.”
On vault, Mack posted a score of 9.850 to tie for 14th, and her floor routine earned a score of 9.850 for a 17th-place finish. Labat posted a vault score of 9.750 to cap her illustrious career.
McCulla goes low at NCAA Regional
Alex McCulla put up a low round of 69, tied for the second-lowest NCAA Regional round in Redbird men’s golf history, as he and Valentin Peugnet ’24 wrapped up play at the NCAA Regional in West Lafayette, Indiana. McCulla’s 69 was one stroke back of the program NCAA Regional low score of 68 set by Trent Wallace ’19 in the opening round of the 2017 NCAA Regional.
Women’s basketball advances to WNIT Super 16
The Illinois State women’s basketball team (22-12) earned a WNIT bid for the 15th time in program history and the third time under head coach Kristen Gillespie. The Redbirds earned a first-round bye, beat the College of Charleston, and lost in the Super 16 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
