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AIPROPX ReportYahoo Sports · 27m ago
Illinois volleyball opening season at Huff Hall
Aug. 28—Illinois will host Cincinnati (7 p.m., Friday) and Syracuse (Noon, Sunday) at Huff Hall to open the 2026 season. Beat writer Scott Richey previews what to expect:
Playing the Bearcats and Orange at home to start the season marks the first time Illinois will open a season at home since 2016 — Kevin Hambly's final year as coach. Last year's team didn't get a match at Huff Hall until a Sept. 20 date with Iowa State. These Illini will play four times at home as part of an expanded nonconference slate with the Big Ten shrinking its league schedule to 17 matches. Lindenwood (Sept. 9) and Marquette (Sept. 13) are also set to visit Champaign as part of the non-Big Ten slate.
"We're playing about every third or fourth day, which isn't always great when you're trying to get practice in, but we got an extra week of practice this year," Illinois coach Chris Tamas said. "You're looking to try to contest against some other Power Four teams. You're looking to contest against perennial tournament contenders and conference champions. I think that schedule fits the bill."
There are undoubtedly a few certainties when it comes to Illinois' rotation this fall. Particularly with the return of setter Kenna Phelan, middle blocker Ashlyn Philpot and outside hitters Taylor de Boer and Alyssa Aguayo and the addition of oppsoite Paityn Chapman. But Tamas sees this year's team as "maybe the deepest" he's had, and he hasn't been afraid to run through several different looks in practice the last month.
"I do feel like the roster gives us a little bit more tactical capabilities," the Illinois coach continued. "If someone's got our number that night — or a position or certain rotations — I feel like we can switch around and find the hot hand when the hot hand needs to be found. (A drop-off) is always the concern, but we've been practicing mixing and matching throughout the whole fall camp. You just keep mixing and matching and get them used to playing around every sort of combination."
Cincinnati will bring one of the best outside hitters in the Big 12 to Champaign this weekend in Sydney Nolan. The 6-foot-4 Nolan back with the Bearcats after racking up 468 kills a year ago. Supplementing Nolan at the pin will be transfers in outside hitter Andrea Simovski (Utah State) and middle blocker Audrey Rome (Connecticut) in addition to Swiss opposite Nina Scrucca.
Syracuse's 16-strong roster, meanwhile, includes 15 newcomers.
For an opening weekend, Tamas' focus is internal.
"The biggest thing we always tell them is whoever can play free first is probably the one that's going to come out as the winner," Tamas said. "It's making sure we stick together. Not every play is going to look as good as you want it to. ... It's about playing good volleyball over a longer period of time. I say it all the time. We're a marathon ran by 150 sprints. How many sprints can we win?"
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