The University of Illinois women's basketball program is putting the final touches on its summer workout regimen, a period that has been marked by both progress and setbacks. Coach Shauna Green has overseen a schedule that blended intense conditioning with on‑court scrimmages, all while navigating a roster that has seen key players miss significant time.
Among the returnees, redshirt freshman forward Manuella Alves is expected to anchor the frontcourt after missing the previous campaign with a torn ACL. She will be joined by redshirt junior guard Gretchen Dolan, who returned from a torn meniscus injury that required surgery in February and has been cleared to participate fully in team activities.
The offseason also introduced fresh talent to the program. Freshmen forwards Morgan Baptist and Lana Brenjo arrived on campus, while junior‑college transfer Ona Riopedre and LSU transfer Divine Bourrage added experience and versatility to the wing positions.
Competition for Playing Time
With the new faces in the mix, competition for minutes is already taking shape. Lety Vasconcelos and Alves are battling for the starting 5 spot, while Cearah Parchment remains away from campus as she trains with the Canadian women's national team.
Coach Green has repeatedly emphasized the importance of maintaining player health as the team moves forward. A full month of 5‑on‑5 workouts has given her a clearer sense of the rotation, and she believes the depth at the forward position could be a decisive factor when the season begins.
After a brief hiatus, the squad will return to campus for the fall semester before launching into preseason practices scheduled for late September. The upcoming weeks will be crucial for fine‑tuning chemistry and ensuring that all players enter the new year in peak condition.