ANNUAL REPORT 2007-08 Division of Intercollegiate Athletics University of Illinois 2007-08 Annual Report Director’S Address
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2007-08 University of Illinois ANNUAL REPORT Division of Intercollegiate Athletics 2007-08 ANNUAL REPORT Division of Intercollegiate Athletics University of Illinois 2007-08 Annual Report Director’s Address ................................................... .1 Football........................................................... .2 Women’s Cross Country .............................................. .4 Men’s Gymnastics ................................................... .6 Men’s Golf......................................................... .8 Men’s Tennis ...................................................... .10 Women’s Gymnastics................................................ .12 Soccer ........................................................... .14 Baseball .......................................................... .16 Softball .......................................................... .17 Women’s Tennis.................................................... .18 Men’s Basketball ................................................... .19 Men’s Track & Field ................................................ .20 Women’s Basketball................................................. .21 Swimming & Diving................................................ .22 Women’s Track & Field .............................................. .23 Men’s Cross Country................................................ .24 Wrestling......................................................... .25 Volleyball ........................................................ .26 Women’s Golf ..................................................... .27 Awards ........................................................ 28-29 Medal of Honor Winners // Athletes of the Year........................... .30 Sport Results // Big Ten Rankings // Sportsmanship ...................... .31 Academic Excellence // Outstanding Scholar-Athletes...................... .32 Student-Athlete of the Week // Chi Alpha Sigma // Academic All-Big Ten ........ .33 Life Skills ........................................................ .34 Academic All-American // Team GPA .................................. .35 Facilities ....................................................... 36-38 Diversity . .39 Marketing ........................................................ .40 Corporate Sponsorship .............................................. .41 Athletic Communcations ............................................ .42 Mary THERESE MCDONNELL Compliance....................................................... .43 FEMALE BIG TEN MEDAL OF HONOR Video ........................................................... .44 Finance . .45 ALLISON BUCKLEY Varsity “I” Association............................................... .46 BIG TEN FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR Annual Fund...................................................... .47 Donor ......................................................... 47-60 Endowments ...................................................... .61 Planned/Estate Giving............................................... .62 Naming Rights .................................................... .63 Community Service............................................... 64-65 Big Ten Network................................................... .66 CREDITS ANGELA BIZZARRI Executive Editors: Cassie Arner DIKE EDDLEMAN FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Cover and Interior Design: Karen Remsen J LEMAN Contributing Writers: Cassie Arner, Kassie Barry, Derrick Burson, Victor Cortez, Steve Green, Chris Hanna, Marty Kaufmann, Michael Koon, Tom Michael, Derek Neal, Ben Taylor, Chris Tuttle, Emily MALE BIG TEN MEDAL OF HONOR Wickstrom, Leslie Wilhite DIKE EDDLEMAN MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Photography: Mark Jones, Kathy Kaler, The Tintype Photography Printing: Custom Color Graphics Rashard Mendenhall, taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 23rd expansion of the Irwin Academic Services Center, more than doubling overall pick, became the first Illini taken in the first round of the NFL its original size. The renovated building contains quiet study spaces, Draft since 1996. expansive computer labs, tutor and group study rooms, an auditorium Serving as a backdrop to this incredible resurgence was the ongoing and office spaces for our academic services staff. The Irwin Center is renovation of Memorial Stadium. The new north end zone seating the finest facility of its type in the country. structure, filled to capacity with orange-clad students, instantly Given these resources, Illini student-athletes have responded in transformed the venerable old stadium into a more challenging dramatic fashion. An astounding 14 of 19 Illinois teams recorded over a environment for opposing players and coaches. Despite some 3.0 GPA and 38 students-athletes had 4.0 GPAs. For the two semesters inconveniences accompanying the construction, our fans rallied combined, 54 percent of Illini athletes posted a 3.0 or better and we behind our team, posting four home sellouts for the first time in more named 127 to Academic All-Big Ten teams. I would be remiss if I than 20 years. didn¹t congratulate the women¹s golf and women¹s cross country team Last year’s successes were not limited to the gridiron, however. Our for their perfect scores of 1.000 in the NCAA APR, which measures men’s gymnastics team continued its tradition of excellence, finishing graduation rates. One student-athlete deserves particular mention. In third at the NCAA Championships and crowning a national champion 2008, senior women’s tennis player Momei Qu, who graduated with a on high bar in freshman Paul Ruggeri. With a sixth-place finish, the 3.91 GPA in finance and computer engineering, was named the Arthur Illinois women’s cross country team reaffirmed its position as one Ashe Jr. Top Female Scholar Athlete. As you can see, the bar at Illinois of the nation’s top programs, finishing in the Top 10 at the NCAA is high, but our student-athletes move it higher every day. Championships for the third-straight year. Men’s tennis, following a In addition to the renovations of Memorial Stadium and the Irwin National Runner-Up finish in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, advanced Academic Services Center, we have several other ongoing construction to the Sweet 16 for an impressive seventh-consecutive year and the projects that will help advance our mission. Work is nearly completed ninth time in 10 years. On the basketball court, both our men’s and on Eichelberger Field, the permanent additions that will make Illinois women’s teams gave us glimpses of things to come. The men’s team one of the nation’s premier softball venues. Construction continues on pushed its home sellout streak to 60 games and overcame a challenging expansions to the Atkins Tennis Center and the Khan Tennis Center. regular season to fight its way to the championship game of the Big Finally, we recently replaced the natural grass on our baseball field Ten Tournament. The women, under the leadership of first-year head with synthetic turf, providing a much more usable surface during the coach Jolette Law, made marked progress throughout the season, spring’s unpredictable weather. also advancing to the championship game of the Women’s Big Ten As this past year demonstrates, the state of Illinois athletics is Tournament. strong. At the University of Illinois, we build champions. Champions Several individual performers also deserve mention. Three- on the field. Champions in the classroom. Champions in life. Our time track and field All-American Angela Bizzarri raced her way to coaches, student-athletes, administration and staff are all dedicated to Dear Fellow Illini, a second-place finish in the 5,000-meter run at the NCAA Outdoor this mission, as are our fans and donors. All have performed admirably Track & Field Championships in June. Allison Buckley was the first in the past. The challenge for us, as it is every year, is to strive for As a means of recognizing our program’s numerous accomplishments Illinois women’s gymnast to garner NCAA All-America honors. The improvement. We must never rest. To reach our goals, we require the during the past year, as well as many of the people who helped Baltimore Orioles drafted center fielder Kyle Hudson in the fourth best that each of us can offer. This endeavor is greater than any one of make those accomplishments possible, I am pleased to present the round of Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft, making him us—the sum is unquestionably greater than its parts. Be selfless. Give 2007-08 Annual Report for the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics the fourth-highest drafted player in school history. of yourself. Because of our collective efforts, Illinois student-athletes at the University of Illinois. Notwithstanding these notable achievements, the success of Illinois are given the opportunity to become champions. Any conversation about the past year must begin with the success student-athletes in the competitive arena should not overshadow of our football team. In only his third year at the helm, head coach their continued excellence in the classroom. By attending one of the Sincerely yours, Ron Zook led the Illini to a 9-3 regular season record, a final BCS 1 world’s preeminent institutions of higher learning, Fighting Illini ranking of 13th in the country and a trip to the 2008 Rose Bowl. 2007-08 ANNUAL REPORT student-athletes are provided with an incredible opportunity to Along the way, the Illini posted signature victories against Penn State, challenge themselves intellectually, helping prepare them to emerge Wisconsin,