(WICS) — Central Illinois has yet another reason to tune into 'American Idol.' 16-year-old Mattie Pruitt the show's youngest Top 10 competitor We spoke with the rising star about her Central Illinois family her journey on American Idol and what we can expect from her next Pruitt reflected on her strong family roots and the unwavering support she’s received: Pruitt shared how her family has supported her throughout her American Idol journey: We asked her what her favorite local Champaign spot was: has delivered standout performances on “American Idol” this season Pruitt also gave a sneak peek at what to expect on the show Sunday including her excitement about this week’s mentor: Voting opens at the top of the show and ends in the final commercial break 'American Idol' airs on ABC Sunday at 7 p.m A deep dive into what to expect from the highly coveted Cal transfer Brad Underwood rounded out his offseason with a big portal splash Andrej Stojakovic comes to Champaign as one of the center pieces of an Illini roster that with his presence is now fully equipped to contend atop the Big Ten once again He was the last missing puzzle piece — and a big one — to the Illini’s latest roster building venture And he may just be the most exciting one of them all Orange & Blue look good on you, Drej https://t.co/YWTCyCLRB8 pic.twitter.com/WMCRFnnaNv Aside from the obvious pro bloodlines from his All-Star father Stojakovic is already a heck of a college basketball player in his own right Surrounding himself with far more talent and spacing than he’s had in either of his first two years should only make him better and perhaps even unlock a whole new level of his game Let’s take a look at what the Illini are getting in the Cal transfer: He was one when he was a McDonald’s All American and 4-star prospect out of Jesuit High School in California his very final impression as a Golden Bear was a 37-point outburst in the ACC Tournament against Stanford in a dazzling postseason display which was far from the first big time scoring output he delivered The efficiency hasn’t been great through two seasons Stojakovic had nearly everything on his plate offensively and was asked to carry an offense void of many secondary options The hope is that with more spacing around him and some pressure taken off his shoulders with the Illini’s plethora of options he can improve his percentages from all areas Stojakovic does the majority of his damage from inside the arc attacking the paint He’s a bit of an underrated athlete — certainly not a great one but he can show some quick burst off the dribble at times and fly to the rim when the opportunity is there is with his craftiness and patience inside with the ball in his hands He’s very savvy at using his size to score over the top of defenders and can hit you with an array moves to maneuver his way to the basket He’s a good finisher who can score from a variety of angles with both hands having shown a supremely impressive feel and excellent footwork when it comes to finding ways to create advantages for himself in one-on-one matchups That ability will be key for this Illini offense providing it a true go-to guy who can create shots individually The Illini’s spacing with the Ivisic brothers stretching the floor at the five spot should allow Stojakovic ample opportunity to operate Many may immediately think deadeye shooter when they hear the last name Stojakovic even if he’s got a bit of a low and slow release and he was thought to be a high-level shooter as a high school prospect But it’s been inconsistent at the college level so far he’s shot 32.2% from long range over his two seasons He was shooting nearly 42% through the end of the nonconference slate last season before really struggling during ACC play He’s actually shot a significantly better percentage on off-the-dribble threes than on catch-and-shoot attempts (although on much lower volume) which indicates he’s certainly got shot making ability and realistically room to make them more consistently in an offense that should generate him better looks more often He’ll have plenty of freedom to get off his shots playing for Underwood and the Illini Improving the shooting numbers will be a key in maximizing his production His mid-range game could become a real weapon as well He hasn’t been very efficient shooting them to this point but he definitely has shown the ability to create space off the dribble and rise and fire over defenders seamlessly He especially likes to get them off matched up with smaller guards and in post ups Perhaps a return to booty ball could be in the cards It will be interesting to see what Stojakovic’s usage looks like for Illinois paired with the rest of the roster’s pieces The Illini have two very capable ball handlers and playmakers in Mihailo Petrovic and Kylan Boswell something last season’s Cal team sorely lacked Stojakovic was often tasked with initiating action for the Golden Bears and serving as a primary creator on offense with a fair amount of ball screen usage as well as a healthy dose of dribble handoffs Illinois should be able to take some of that burden off his shoulders but Stojakovic was also clearly brought in to be one of — if not the — top offensive option in the Illini offense That means he’ll still likely have the ball in his hands often in various actions drawing lots of defensive attention where he’s shown flashes of being able to read the floor and make plays alongside his obvious scoring prowess He had more turnovers than assists last season but part of that can be chalked up to the lack of weaponry he was surrounded with and his heavy score-first approach With more offensive talent spaced around him it’s plausible he can take a jump from a passing perspective and be trusted as a secondary playmaker on the wing much like Will Riley blossomed into by the second half of 2024-25 one that took a gigantic leap from his freshman to sophomore seasons He’s not a powerful driver yet still shot nearly six free throws per game last season thanks in large part to his ability to get defenders off balance so often He also jumped from 52.8% all the way to 81.8% as a free throw shooter This is a skill that Brad Underwood emphasizes and seeks out so it’s no surprise that Stojakovic is steadily developing it One more thing to watch — Stojakovic cutting off the ball Playing alongside Tomislav Ivisic as a big man facilitator he can be very useful as a cutter with his size and good instincts but there’s potential for him to be a legitimate plus on that end of the floor He’s got plenty of length and uses it well to contest and block shots averaging 1.2 blocks per game with a 3.7% block rate a season ago he graded out as an above average defender according to the advanced metrics during his season at Cal His biggest struggles come when matched up with explosive guards and more athletic perimeter players but he began taking on top defensive assignments late last season for the Golden Bears and fared fine with most of them He navigates screens well and generally has good lateral quickness something Illinois will surely challenge him to emphasize even more to create opportunities to push the pace It’s safe to assume Stojakovic won’t hurt Illinois on the defensive end as is and with even more physical development with Illini strength coach Adam Fletcher there’s a path for him to become a legitimately good college defender The addition of Stojakovic should greatly excite Illini fans and serve as a worthy headliner to another highly successful offseason haul for Brad Underwood and Co He’s supremely talented and fits the mold of the type of high usage wing that has thrived in the highly ranked Illinois offense in recent seasons Stojakovic has already proven himself as a productive college scorer but jumping aboard a winning program for the first time in his career around a cast of teammates that perfectly complement his skillset should give him every opportunity to thrive And if the progression he already made between his first two seasons is any indication he could very well be in for a monster junior campaign in Champaign Innovative microwave sensors deployed on an unmanned aerial system over the I-FARM facility for soil and biomass sensing in 2024 Sagnika Das collects data from a sticky trap in soybean while a camera drone hovers nearby The Center for Digital Agriculture and the Prairie Research Institute have partnered to offer seed funding for joint research projects The initiative aims to facilitate collaborations that find innovative solutions for societal challenges using digital technologies to enhance agricultural sustainability In addition to sparking joint research and development activities the partnership aims to lead to sponsored funding and service to the State of Illinois and beyond “PRI is a vital engine for science-driven impact across Illinois and beyond and CDA is excited to join forces to apply cutting-edge digital tools to pressing challenges in agriculture and the environment,” said CDA Executive Director John Reid “We hope this collaboration not only accelerates innovation but also attracts new resources to support the outstanding scientists and students working across our collective teams.” Two collaborative research proposals have been selected computer science faculty and CDA affiliate Edit embedded media in the Files Tab and re-insert as needed a graduate research assistant in crop sciences “Collaborative work like this is vital for innovation to occur and for generating solutions to challenges facing such a crucial industry,” said PRI Executive Director Praveen Kumar “PRI has a long history of providing science and tools farmers can use so partnering with the Center for Digital Agriculture on this initiative is a natural fit to inspire research and development of scalable solutions that help farmers do their work sustainably.” The partnership combines CDA’s focus on agriculture and technology with PRI’s scientific expertise in geology CDA formed to help agricultural producers and industries keep pace with the ways technology is transforming how we feed and support a growing global population Increased global productivity and sustainability require technical innovations that involve CDA’s primary themes: Automation The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is home to both CDA and PRI Email us Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight sales manager at Comfort Suites in north Urbana on her industry: ‘You get to meet a lot of people and sales manager Laura Raney both work the phones at the front desk of the Comfort Suites in Urbana I get to meet people from everywhere that are going through so many different things.' URBANA — Laura Raney comes from a big extended family with her mother being the youngest of eight kids and her father the youngest of 14 She says that’s likely one of the reasons she’s always been a people person — a trait that serves her well as sales manager at Comfort Suites and Rodeway Inn “I’ve always been drawn to people of all different nationalities,” Raney said I get to meet people from everywhere that are going through so many different things.” She’s also enjoyed getting to build relationships with repeat guests — to the point where as soon as dates are announced for events like Ebertfest or the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon she recognizes some of the people who call in by first name alone Raney also has a knack for helping guests navigate another major annual event: the Illinois High School Association’s boys’ basketball state tournament “Imagine what it’s like to be responsible for all of these teenagers,” said local real-estate broker Todd Salen who serves as a community host to teams during the tournament And she helps (high schools) navigate that storm very well.” Salen nominated Raney for one of Experience Champaign-Urbana’s Brilliant Spirit Awards which honor area individuals and organizations for “their contributions in making the greater Champaign-Urbana area a better place to live The 48-year-old Champaign native will be honored alongside four other winners at Wednesday’s annual Toast to Tourism celebration While the hospitality industry is a natural fit for an extrovert like Raney Raney became a certified nursing assistant with Carle Foundation Hospital and the Windsor of Savoy she switched to working in at-home health care seeing patients pass away was “depressing,” which led her to switch to working in hospitality Raney then managed the Historic Lincoln Hotel in Urbana — which recently reopened as Hotel Royer — but had to find a new job when it closed which led her to join Comfort Suites a little over 15 years ago Despite the differences between nursing and the hospitality industry Raney said there are certain similarities — such as the importance of showing compassion That level of care is on full display during the IHSA state tournament he is assigned to a visiting team each year to help with “any specific needs they might have to make their stay more enjoyable.” He noted that this can be a hectic time for teams who don’t know if they’re coming to the tournament until the Monday night before the Thursday semifinals The teams that win their quarterfinals that night then have several arrangements to make in a very short timeframe with the help of their hosts Salen knows which hotel his team has been assigned by the IHSA but he doesn’t know which team he’ll have until after Monday night “I’ve been very fortunate as a community host the last four years to have my teams assigned to Comfort Suites “Laura is a remarkable ambassador for our community Each time that my teams have stayed at the hotel there’s always “a huge sign” at Comfort Suites welcoming the student athletes “You can imagine what it’s like to have 30-something 15- 17-year-olds attack the breakfast table,” Salen said Raney makes things easy for teams and is “extremely patient,” he said The IHSA tournament is “a goldmine” for the hotel though she acknowledged that it also comes with some challenges and there’s a lot of wear and tear that comes with it,” she said I was a traveling parent — both my kids played traveling sports — so I can sympathize with the parents and the coaches on both ends whether it’s traveling or booking the hotels.” That sympathy played a role in how Raney handled a last-minute hurdle during this year’s tournament A high school that was playing in the championship for the first time had been under the impression that the IHSA would cover all costs who had been assigned as the school’s community host was waiting for the team to arrive when an employee told him that the hotel had not been paid who explained that the school had expected its travel agency to pay the hotel bill but the agency hadn’t yet been paid by the school district ‘You have to have a payment method,’” Raney said “Normally it’s a 72-hour cancellation policy for the entire group if we don’t secure a credit card or something.” While she could have canceled the booking and opened up the block of rooms Raney decided to wait for the school to get things in order “Coming from my background as a parent who had kids that traveled in sports there was no way I was going to cancel their block,” she said just because I would want somebody to do that for me The hotel finally received the payment about two hours before the team arrived to kind of roll the dice and leave the rooms locked down for them because they technically could’ve released those rooms at 6 o’clock Wednesday evening for nonpayment,” Johnson said While Salen cited this story in his nomination it’s far from the most dramatic thing to happen during Raney’s career in hospitality one time a woman who had overdosed was found in a hotel bathroom was able to revive her while the hotel waited for paramedics to arrive And her boss called me and sent me a bunch of wine There have also been people who have tried to skinny-dip in the hotel pool an older man who got drunk and walked up to the front desk naked and famous guests such as Pauly D from “Jersey Shore.” “If you’ve never worked in a hotel and you just want to see what it’s like The five community members who’ll be honored with Brilliant Spirit Awards during Experience Champaign-Urbana’s annual Toast To Tourism celebration set for Wednesday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Champaign: That’s why she was selected as a 2025 recipient of an Experience Champaign-Urbana's Brilliant Spirit Awards Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Matt Monahan talks about the progress of Blind Pig Brewpub in the old Destihl storefront at Main and Neil in Champaign on Thursday Painters work inside Blind Pig Brewpub in the old Destihl storefront at Main and Neil in Champaign on Thursday Owner Matt Monahan said he's working to open at 301 N as soon as possible and 'would love to be open in mid-May or late May.' Flip through today's e-edition here CHAMPAIGN — Anticipation for Blind Pig Brewing to have its own bar again is definitely bubbling up among the business’ fans “We had three gentlemen walk into the brewery (on Market Street) just a little while ago asking for a beer,” said owner Matt Monahan “...We told them where this (new brewpub) was and that we were hoping to be open within the month or so And I think people are saying we’re probably long overdue to open Monahan said he’s working to open Blind Pig Brewpub at 301 N as soon as possible and “would love to be open in mid-May or late May.” the timing will depend on when the restaurant receives its public-health permit and liquor licenses the brewpub’s interior remodel was unfinished as of Thursday but Monahan said the space would likely look much different in just a few days with a Tudor style similar to the exterior of Hotel Royer He added the general contractor could be done with the project sometime this week Monahan expects there to be “very minimal” brewing at the North Neil Street site during this phase of the brewpub with most of Blind Pig’s products still being produced at the brewery on 505 N if the business expands further into the space “We’re going to have 24 taps on the bar system so we don’t want to brew all those beers at the production facility,” he said Monahan had previously considered adding a taproom to the brewery on Market Street the business’ Class 2 Brewer license allows them to open a brewpub was a good place for that kind of business Chef Ryan Batts said the brewpub will likely serve pub classics such as burgers and pizza especially since there is already a stone oven on site for the latter He also noted that there is a “large area for scratch production,” and he is excited to experiment with international offerings but we will probably try to get open for lunches more and more and possibly even a brunch on the weekends if we get to that point.” the brewpub will mark the return of Blind Pig to downtown’s restaurant and bar scene Blind Pig Brewing and the bars that once shared the same name previously belonged to Christopher Knight who opened the original Blind Pig bar at 6 Taylor St. Knight shared in May 2024 that he had sold the two components of the business to different owners and retired The brewery business is now run by Monahan while the former Blind Pig bars belong to Jim and Kristen Enderle Monahan said he’s “super excited” to be near the new Neil Street plaza The first phase of this city project is located just across the street from the brewpub and nearing completion with much of the renovated space now open to the public really lucky that we were able to work out a deal to get this location,” Monahan said He added that anyone interested in interviewing for a job at the brewpub can send an email to jobs@blindpigbrewery.com Is it time for the return of concerts at Memorial Stadium .. whether there are consequences for speakers who verbally abuse members at Unit 4 school board meetings … and what it means when Urbana police say one "We're super excited to be a part of downtown again I know the Blind Pig's been down there for almost 35 years in some way so we're excited to start the new chapter." Guth and Associates announced Friday afternoon that Blind Pig Brewing has signed a lease at 301 N who will continue to operate it under the same name The Blind Pig bars now belong to Jim and Kristen Enderle (WICS) — A local organization in Champaign is driving change—literally—for young people in the community Our Brianna Moreland sat down with the executive director of Central Illinois Youth for Christ to learn how they’re putting the wheels in motion for a better future tells me this bus is more than just a ride—it’s a vehicle for opportunity and exposure to new experiences beyond Central Illinois Central Illinois Youth for Christ is an organization that invests in programs and initiatives designed to uplift and empower young people A Friday night Midnight Basketball League that draws more than 100 youth for games the organization was awarded $61,000 from Champaign County—one of its key partners in the effort to reduce violence That funding helped them purchase a bus to safely transport kids to and from events Pastor Comer says this kind of support removes major barriers for both students and families: CIYFC also runs initiatives like the Lunch Crew which brings positive outreach directly into schools When the bus pulled up for the first time at Friday’s Midnight Basketball Pastor Comer says the kids ran off the court smiling—excited to see their new ride The bus seats 15 students and was custom-wrapped by VIDA Bottega complete with a built-in sound system to ensure they ride in style Five Illinois cities made a list of best places to live in the United States Livability, a marketing company, annually highlights the nation's best small to mid-sized cities with affordable living costs. In partnership with Applied Geographic Solutions the company commissioned data on thousands of cities Livability curated the list based on nearly 100 data points that included local economy The company limited the study to communities of between 75,000 and 500,000 residents Here's how Illinois cities fared in the the marketing company's 2025 list of "Top 100 Best Places to Live." Naperville was the highest-rated Illinois city placing fourth nationwide behind Flower Mound The city received high marks for its school system Evanston receives high marks for sceneryLivability ranked Evanston 17th nationwide for its historic charm, intellectual life, scenic lakefront, busy downtown and affordability. The company noted that Evanston is home to several universities, including Northwestern, which Forbes magazine placed on its 2025 list of “New Ivies.” Bloomington economy is recognizedIllinois’ Bloomington placed 25th nationwide five spots behind its Minnesota counterpart The city’s tranquil setting was a key selling point Champaign known for arts and educationChampaign came in as Livability’s 80th best place to live in the U.S In addition to an education system creating job opportunities that stimulate the economy the city offers affordable housing and an active arts scene Champaign is also home to the University of Illinois which was also deemed by Forbes as one of the “New Ivies." More: Two Illinois universities considered among the 'New Ivies' by Forbes. See the list Peoria made Livability’s list for the third straight year Livability cited the city’s strong sense of community affordability and diverse recreational options Last known address: 1200 block of Ellis Drive Charges: Predatory criminal sexual assault If you have information, please contact Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-8477, 373tips.com or the ‘P3 Tips’ mobile app The Park Bar & Grill is located at 1906 W The Park Bar & Grill was ordered to 'immediately cease operations' on Saturday due to concerns related to the establishment 'repeatedly failing to report disorderly conduct and/or violations of State and City Ordinances occurring on their property.' CHAMPAIGN — The city of Champaign has ordered a local bar to close for the time being due to safety issues to "immediately cease operations" on Saturday due to public safety concerns related to the establishment "repeatedly failing to report disorderly conduct and/or violations of State and City Ordinances occurring on their property." "The business must remain closed until City officials can meet with the business owner regarding this matter whichever occurs first," city officials said The Park Bar & Grill posted on its Facebook page Saturday that the city is acting in response to "several recent incidents including videos circulating on social media which have raised serious safety concerns." "While our security team works tirelessly to provide a safe environment creating a positive and respectful atmosphere is a shared responsibility," the business said "We ask all guests to come with the intention of enjoying the experience—not creating conflict we respectfully ask that you refrain from attending." While the business's did not elaborate on what incidents led to this closure the page previously shared a post from Tralane Wilson on April 3 Wilson wrote at the time that he was returning as head of security at the bar and that due to several incidents that occurred during his absence there would now be a "zero tolerance policy." to those of you who were involved in the attack of the security guard at the Park Bar & Grill on March 22nd," he said and mob action charges in which surveillance will determine if and who charges will be filed against." He added that anyone who assaulted staff or disrespected the business would be put on a "no trespassing" list and banned from the bar The building that houses The Park Bar & Grill is currently listed for sale with an asking price of $1.1 million Singh said in a previous interview that he expected to stay on under the eventual new owner The Park Bar & Grill expects to stay on under the new owner — A new study asked three questions about muscle protein synthesis in response to a nine-day diet and weight training regimen: First does the source of protein — plant or animal-based — make any difference to muscle gain does it matter if total daily protein intake is evenly distributed throughout the day does a moderate but sufficient daily protein intake influence any of these variables The answer to all three questions is “no,” the researchers found Their findings are reported in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise “The longstanding belief or the current dogma was that animal-based protein sources were better, particularly for the muscle-building response,”  said Nicholas Burd, a professor of health and kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who led the new study with former graduate student Andrew Askow This belief was rooted in science: Previous studies that took muscle biopsies after a single feeding found that an animal-based meal provided more of a stimulus for muscle protein synthesis than a vegan meal our general hypothesis based on these previous studies was that the animal-based eating pattern would be more effective at supporting the muscle-building response.” But measurements taken after a single meal might not reflect the effects of consuming a balanced vegan diet over time One previous clinical trial had looked at muscle responses in vegans and omnivores who ate a laboratory diet and engaged in weight training for 10 weeks That study found no significant differences in muscle protein synthesis over time volunteers in that study consumed 1.6-1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day which is much higher than what is needed to maximize muscle protein synthesis and build bigger muscles with weight lifting It also gave those on the vegan diet the bulk of their plant protein in supplements which is not a realistic recreation of how vegans normally eat Burd and his colleagues wanted to know whether the habitual consumption of a varied vegan or meat-based diet of whole foods — rather than ingestion of just a single meal or getting one’s protein from limited sources — would influence the rate of muscle protein synthesis over time They also wanted to test the hypothesis that a moderate protein intake — in the range of 1.1-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day — should be distributed evenly throughout the day to maximize muscle growth A previous study from Burd’s lab found that protein intakes higher than 1.1 g/kg per day make no difference to the rate of muscle protein synthesis when weight training This amount of protein also is more in line with a typical American diet and testing what people normally eat is important The participants underwent a seven-day “habituation diet” to standardize their nutritional status prior to the clinical trial Then they were randomly assigned to either a vegan or omnivorous diet some of which were eaten in the lab while most were consumed at home Roughly 70% of the protein for the omnivorous meals was obtained from animal sources: beef The vegan diet balanced the amino acid content of the meals ensuring that participants consumed complete proteins The vegan and omnivorous groups were each divided again into those who ate roughly the same amount of protein at each of three meals and those whose protein intake varied across five meals throughout the day with a larger proportion of protein consumed toward the end of the day All participants engaged in a series of muscle-strengthening activities in the lab every three days They also wore accelerometers to keep track of their activity levels when not in the lab The deuterium atoms “exchanged with hydrogen atoms within amino acids to make them heavy and served as tracers” that allowed the team to trace their incorporation into muscle tissue Biopsies of tissue from a leg muscle were taken at the beginning and end of the trial Burd was initially surprised to see that there were no differences in rates of muscle protein synthesis between those eating vegan or omnivorous diets He also was surprised to see that protein distribution across the day had no effect on the rate of muscle building given results from past studies of acute responses to dietary interventions and weight training “It was thought that it was better to get a steady-state delivery of nutrients throughout the day,” he said “I also thought that if you’re getting a lower quality protein — in terms of its digestibility and amino acid content — that perhaps distribution would make a difference if anyone asks him what’s the best type of food they should eat for muscle building he’ll tell them: “It’s the kind you put in your mouth after exercise As long as you’re getting sufficient high-quality protein from your food then it really doesn’t make a difference.” overseen by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Board To reach Nicholas Burd, email naburd@illinois.edu The paper “Impact of vegan diets on resistance exercise-mediated myofibrillar protein synthesis in healthy young males and females: A randomized controlled trial” is available online DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003725 — Four faculty members from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have been newly elected as members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences one of the oldest honorary societies in the United States physics professor Aida El-Khadra and chemistry professor Jonathan Sweedler are […] —  Educators and researchers have had longstanding concerns about the quality of computer science instruction in U.S A recent study exploring student learning and computer science teachers’ qualifications in one state suggests that these teachers may be better qualified than those teaching other subjects — A novel research project has shown that areas with greater amounts of green space have a lower prevalence of police violence The study is the first to find a significant relationship between greenness levels and fatal police shootings and it showed that the most socially and economically disadvantaged areas seemed to benefit […] Email: stratcom@illinois.edu Phone (217) 333-5010 Illinois head coach Brad Underwood talks to a ref in a NCAA basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Monday Illini coach: 'I'm not into tinkering with the roster too much at this point' transfer portal additions and a decided emphasis on the Balkans Illinois has managed to put together what could be its 2025-26 roster All before the calendar flipped from April to May The expected expansion of roster limits to 15 should House vs NCAA ultimately be approved gives Brad Underwood room to add to his roster for next season but it's not necessarily a move the Illinois coach will make Underwood is willing to stand pat after a busy April yielded key returners like Kylan Boswell and Tomislav Ivisic among others portal additions in Zvonimir Ivisic and Andrej Stojakovic and commitments from Montenegrin forward David Mirkovic and Serbian guard Mihailo Petrovic "We might fill in with some developmental pieces," Underwood said on his Saturday SportsTalk appearance "Some guys that we think can grow into our program I think there's a challenge of having too many I think there's a challenge of making sure you have the right amount of depth in case we have a season like we did last year with the sicknesses and everything else I'm not into tinkering with the roster too much at this point other than maybe some guys who really want to be at Illinois and try to develop into some stuff in the future." Scott Richey covers college basketball for The News-Gazette. His email is srichey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@srrichey) Illinois would really blow a marketing opportunity  The Cal transfer bolsters an Illini roster looking to upgrade in 2025-26 Brad Underwood’s Illini are nothing if not intriguing Assistant coaches Geoff Alexander and Orlando Antigua traveled to Europe…in the middle of the season they can do a lot of their game prep work virtually but this Euro trip demonstrates that Illinois would look primarily to Europe to reload a roster that underachieved in spurts in 2024-25 Even their top two portal wins were both players with deep European hoops roots Is anyone reading this column old enough to remember the ill-fated Josh Dix pursuit Both of those players chose other schools to exhaust their eligibility But both represent a piece the Illini have still been unable to acquire Dix is a knockdown shooter with significant Big Ten experience He would have given the Illini a Koby Brea-level sniper He would have been arguably the best pure shooter to grace Ubben since Alfonso Plummer Sellers is an explosive player who can finish above the rim and shoot threes at a high level He would have been the most dangerous downhill threat to commit in Champaign since legend/prototype/avatar Terrence Shannon Jr So instead of looking for a player to fill those roles Illinois’ commitments from guard Mihailo Petrovic and forward David Mirkovic open up massive possibilities for offensive flow Petrovic is a 21-year-old Adriatic League MVP candidate He averaged over 7 assists per game and demonstrates skill as a high-end facilitator He brings all the pieces of flair to his work uniform that the departing Kasparas Jakucionis brought Illinois was reportedly working hard to bring back old friend and Peoria native Adam Miller Miller’s skill set made perfect sense for a squad lacking perimeter shooting and defense it would be a great prodigal son story with him and Champaign-Urbana native Kylan Boswell sharing the backcourt Miller returning to the Illini never happened But the staff had a Balkan pivot and got a greater playmaker upgrade with more eligibility is a burly 6’9 forward with a solid mid-range game and an offensive base and skill set that screams “booty ball.” He plays a more rugged style but brings the mid-range game to make him an excellent fit in the Marcus Domask role in Underwood’s offense But he gives Illinois a “four” who can shoot When Morez Johnson bounced for Ann Arbor under dubious circumstances it looked like the Illini would again hemorrhage talent And losing Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and Tre White did nothing to quell that concern Underwood was able to get early return commitments from Kylan Boswell and Tomislav Ivisic Those are two tentpole players for an Illini roster needing stability Illinois will return approximately 44% of its productivity from last season while adding skilled international pros and portal studs (we’ll get there) and eventual champion Florida used to build rosters Illinois is bringing back super senior Humrichous That means a lot of mental and physical reps Can that institutional memory be a factor in building an aspirational roster Add to that the frequent activity of conference rivals like Michigan That was probably the fanbase’s final straw…Matt Painter was doing work in the portal to help ensure a preseason top-three ranking (Insert eventual tournament early exit joke here.) But give Brad Underwood and Orlando Antigua credit They leveraged relationships to bring in two power conference-tested players with positional size and two-way impact The 7’2 Arkansas transfer (you may have heard that he has a twin brother on the Illini) flexed excellent rim protection and catch-and-shoot ability In the pace-and-space Underwood offensive flow Big Z can thrive alongside his brother or as a “five” with Mirkovic in the mid-range or Ty Rodgers in the dunker spot Antigua reeled in the offseason’s big fish He’s a former McDonald’s All-American with NBA bloodlines and a scorer’s mentality He gets the majority of his points at the rim and from the line but he’s not a catch-and-fire sniper from behind the arc but he was counted on to do everything in Berkeley He will be surrounded by the kind of talent that makes a top-25 team Andrej could be the jolt of stardom that the Illini needed he can bring back some of the Marcus Domask era booty-ball offense that helped propel the Illini to the Elite Eight picture what a third-year Will Riley could look like in Champaign Stojakovic and Riley are very similar players and insane basketball IQ and recall ability to bully opposing defenders to their preferred spot which could make up for the small-ish guard duo of Petrovic and human straitjacket-applier Kylan Boswell but with freshmen guards Keaton Wagler and Brandon Lee arriving in Champaign This is another high-floor squad with lots of experienced players Perhaps that experience will help the Illini maintain their breakneck offensive pace but do so with fewer turnovers and improved efficiency and Illinois basketball fans will have multiple reasons to watch The 2025 NBA Draft is right around the corner as the draft will take place on June 25 at 8:00 p.m Cooper Flagg to the Utah Jazz with the first pick overall isn’t a shocker 1 overall pick in the May 12 draft lottery But you don’t have to go too much further to find where Jakucionis will land Boone has Jakucionis landing in a perfect spot He has him getting picked by the San Antonio Spurs at pick No as teams that pick that high usually don’t have much of a future They have an incredible player in Victor Wembanyama The only thing I question is whether or not the Spurs would actually take Jakucionis with the No They have a pretty loaded backcourt right now and I am not sure that is the position they need to address San Antonio has De’Aaron Fox locked up for another season I haven’t even mentioned the possibility of Chris Paul coming back He would also not have to be thrown to the wolves early on This kid could develop and grow without having the pressure of being one of the main options The Brooklyn Nets get what seems like a million picks in the first round Just making the NBA is a huge accomplishment This is one of those franchises that is NBA purgatory the Nets have zero direction and will have a hard time contending for a playoff spot for years to come he would likely have a chance to play early Brooklyn doesn’t have much in the way of roster construction It is just a bunch of guys thrown together Riley would be able to work his way into playing time and Oklahoma City surround the Brooklyn picks late in the first round Those are much better landing spots for Riley to develop © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"6g","src":"6h","url":"6i"},{"type":"6f","value":"6j"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"6m","url":"6n"},{"type":"6l","value":"6o"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands San Antonio has De’Aaron Fox locked up for another season We are still numerous weeks out from the 2025 NBA Draft but a couple of Illinois basketball players are projected to be taken in the first round and Hayden Seymour are slated to join the Fighting Illini next fall - Illinois Women's Gymnastics announces five signees in the 2025 recruiting class Ava Banks is an all-around gymnast who chose to continue her career at Illinois for Banks was an alternate for the Development Program National Championships in the all-around Summer Clancy is an Illinois native choosing to stay home and represent the Orange and Blue The all-around gymnast hails from Columbia and competes out of Olympia Chesterfield Gymnastics and will again compete at the Development Program National Championships in 2025 on vault Clancy chose Illinois because of "the outstanding academic opportunities and welcoming team environment." Piper Gow is an all-around gymnast from Argyle Texas looking to make the move north to Illinois Gow has been on the A Honor Roll for all four years of high school Gow will compete at this year's Development Program National Championships in the all-around competition Callie Kauffman is an experienced all-arounder competing as a Level 10 gymnast for the past four years She qualified for the Development Program National Championships twice and chose Illinois because "it has amazing athletic and academic programs The coaches and team atmosphere seem like a perfect fit." Hayden Seymour is a two-time Development Program National Championships qualifier including this year in the all-around competition native intends to major in neuroscience while at Illinois Illinois looks forward to welcoming the 2025 signing class to campus in the fall There are currently no upcoming BIG+ streams Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here scored a career-high 20 points for the Illini on Wednesday night against Penn State Illinois lost a contributor and gained a contributor in the portal To subscribe, click here. Sign up for our daily basketball newsletter here Illini Nation,” your daily dose of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Scott Richey He’ll offer up insights every morning on Brad Underwood’s team and college basketball at large: Big Ten teams — all 18 of them — have combined to add 82 transfers this offseason Indiana leads the way with 10 portal additions First-year coaches at Iowa and Maryland simply raided their former holdings those 82 transfers include some of the best available in the portal Here's 10 beat writer Scott Richey sees as potential impact players in the Big Ten in 2025-26: Dent is going home after three seasons at New Mexico and went to Centennial (where he was teammates with Illinois guard Kylan Boswell) Now he'll join the Bruins after averaging 20.4 points on 49/41/78 shooting to go with 6.4 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game Good enough to earn Mountain West Player of the Year honors and be named an AP honorable mention All-American Stirtz is part of the Drake invasion at Iowa as one of five players to follow coach Ben McCollum from Des Moines to Iowa City The Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year and AP honorable mention All-American put up 19.2 points 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game to go with a 50/40/79 shooting slash for the 31-4 Bulldogs Whether or not he actually plays for the Wolverines is the question with his intent to thoroughly test the NBA draft waters it will add a two-time AAC Defensive Player of the Year who averaged 17.7 points 4.2 assists and 3.5 stocks (that's steals and blocks combined) last season for UAB What Stojakovic accomplished last season at California was representative of the ideal sophomore year coaches dream of for their players Did he play more for the Golden Bears than he did as a freshman at Stanford but the increase in production outstripped the bump in playing time And just like Cal took advantage of the groundwork the Cardinal laid Illinois is hoping to reap the benefits of a better team pushing Stojakovic to another level The Boilermakers were thin up front in 2024-25 — especially after 7-4 freshman Daniel Jacobsen was lost after just two games because of a fractured tibia That left Trey Kaufman-Renn basically on his own Now Renn will have both a healthy Jacobsen and Cluff who was a double-double machine last season at South Dakota State 12.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Jackrabbits Washington landed a pair of intriguing transfers in Atlantic Sun Player of the Year (Lipscomb forward Jacob Ognacevic) and Southern Conference Player of the Year (East Tennessee State guard Quimari Peterson) But Yates proved his worth at the Big Ten level last season at USC and was at his best from Jan averaging 17.9 points on 50/49/78 shooting to go with 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game from Drake to West Virginia and now to the Big Ten The last move was made possible by the shoulder injury that cost the younger DeVries most of the 2024-25 season with the Mountaineers 4.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 47 percent from three-point range (after three standout seasons at Drake) Averaging 20.5 points and shooting 44.5 percent from three-point range (on 245 total attempts) last season for Sam Houston State meant Wilkerson had plenty of suitors once he hit the portal landing the 6-4 guard as part of Darian DeVries' busy offseason Kentucky was the runner-up in his transfer recruitment and pulled out all the stops(?) with a trip to Churchill Downs for some horse racing Another wholesale rebuild for USC coach Eric Musselman included landing a veteran guard to replace Yates Rice is basically the only transfer addition that doesn't fit Musselman's "wings only" roster building approach 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season at Maryland after playing in just eight games the year before at Virginia Tech Ivisic had flashes of standout play during his time at Kentucky and Arkansas The 7-2 forward had back-to-back games in February against Alabama and LSU where he averaged 26 points 3.5 blocks and two steals while shooting 57 percent from three Then he was barely a factor in the SEC and NCAA tournaments Illinois is clearly hoping for more of the former not every player on a Big Ten roster next season is a transfer or international acquisition  Next: Trying to figure out how a team that's a mix of returning players and a group of newcomers that includes transfers incoming freshmen and two straight-from-Europe additions comes together in the rotation Illinois is in a perfect spot — at least geographically — as a No 7 seed playing in the Midwest with a first-round game in St That would give the Illini the perfect path .. Upside of NIL is talented players staying in college longer Beat writer Scott Richey weighs in on Illinois' Big Ten opponents for 2025-26 Chatsworth guard Alijah Arenas dunks against Monterey at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento The last week has seen some movement on the high school recruiting front in the Big Ten for the Class of 2025 a McDonald's All-American decommitted from Washington a five-star guard and also a McDonald's All-American committed to Maryland and first-year coach Buzz Williams High school recruiting might not be as pivotal as it once was or capture the attention of fan bases as it once did but those players still wind up on college basketball rosters How much of an impact they make in year one Here's a look at five potential difference makers (where fit is more important than ranking) set to suit up for Big Ten teams in 2025-26: The good news for USC is Arenas avoided any serious injuries and was released from the hospital Wednesday after crashing his Cybertruck Incoming freshmen with medical issues has been an offseason trend for the Trojans (Victor Iwuchukwu and Bronny James A healthy Arenas — son of NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas — should slot directly into USC's lineup four assists and 2.2 steals for 26-9 Chatsworth (Calif.) Losing Tre Donaldson to the portal — and ultimately to Miami — could be alleviated by the arrival of McKenney in Ann Arbor 10.3 rebounds and three assists per game in leading the Eaglets in their state semifinals run a year after winning a state championship A crowded backcourt ostensibly led Adams to opt out of attending UConn and go back on the market last month (Georgia) and Malachi Smith (Dayton) in the portal and had a higher-ranked five-star guard in Braylon Mullins inbound Adams will instead have a better path to playing time with the Terrapins as a bigger guard to play alongside Myles Rice and Isaiah Watts The Spartans have essentially 69 minutes per game to fill after losing Jase Richardson Transfers Kaleb Glenn and Trey Fort will account for some of that but if Tom Izzo keeps playing a 10-man rotation there's ample opportunity for Ward The 6-7 wing helped Largo (Md.) win a second straight state title in 2024-25 Are there Big Ten-bound freshmen ranked higher than Singleton but they don't have the same path to playing time as the 6-8 forward could have for the Wildcats 6.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists to help lead Jeffersonville (Ind.) to its first state title since 1993 could be the first frontcourt sub off the bench playing behind Nick Martinelli Illinois basketball players have had some impressive hooping fathers By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting the 2025-26 Illinois men's basketball roster might be finalized and the Illini have a history of adding star players late in the offseason let’s dive into the current roster and evaluate where Illinois stands compared to the rest of the Big Ten Conference color: white; padding: 8px; font-size: 16px; May 2 - Hr2 - S4Ep38 - Kentucky Derby and NFL Draft Wrap May 2 - Hr1 - S4Ep38 - Stojakovic Selects Illinois Andrej Stojakovic Selects the Fighting Illini - #480 Apr 25 - Hr2 - S4Ep37 - Illini Spring Football with Matt Stevens Serbian PG Mihailo Petrovic Commits - #479 Apr 18 - Hr1 - S4Ep36 - Portal Kombat Updates - Hoops & Gridiron Apr 11 - Hr1 - S4Ep35 - Portal Kombat & Ballpark Food Recommendations Mar 28 - Hr2 - S4Ep33 - Illini Seasons End Mar 28 - Hr1 - S4Ep33 - Illini Seasons End Please check your inbox for password reset instructions Play the WILL AM news & talk livestream Play the WILL FM classical and more livestream IPM's Kimberly Schofield sat down with the incoming mayor of Urbana to discuss the changes he hopes to see and what it means to be the first Black mayor.  College of Media Illinois head coach Brad Underwood In a NCAA basketball game at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Monday With Ben Humrichous officially returning for the 2025-26 season — on the heels of signing California transfer Andrej Stojakovic — the Illinois roster is probably set Unless there's another guard out there Brad Underwood has his eye on Trying to figure out how a team that's a mix of returning players how 200 total minutes will be distributed on game day Since Illinois got good again — basically from 2019-20 on — Brad Underwood has really only played an eight- or nine-man rotation Others played throughout the course of the season So it's not just how 200 total minutes get distributed Here's how a potential version of the rotation would work: Keaton Wagler and Jason Jakstys if there are any to be had) First EYBL session of the Nike season complete The program has overhauled its roster for the second straight season as coach Brad Underwood has drawn headlines for his focus on international talent while attempting to correct for last season's lack of experience Even an area that appeared to be a weakness – the portal – saw the delivery of one of the offseason's top transfers in Cal guard Andrej Stojakovic to Champaign.Freshmen even if the Illini don't need their incoming class of 2025 high school recruits right away at least one of them recently demonstrated that he might be ready to crash the party immediately Four-star recruit Brandon Lee – a shooting guard from Hillside and the top-ranked player in the state – was invited to the 2025 Iverson Classic Although Lee is a fringe top-100 player according to the leading high school basketball recruiting rankings (No he showed Thursday that he may have been sold short Participating in the 24K Showcase Game at Bethel High School in Hampton Lee scored 26 points on 12-for-23 shooting for Team Bubba Chuck in a 118-108 win over Team Answer Lee led all scorers save for one – teammate Jaylen Petty who had 33 (and eight threes) to win the game MVP and earn a spot in the All-American game featuring top-shelf prospects such as Darryn Peterson whose only other high-major offer came from Mississippi State demonstrated that he may be an under-the-radar asset for the Illini as soon as next season A post shared by Iverson Classic (@iversonclassic) It wasn't a wake-up call so much as a confirmation that he belonged as Lee outshone higher-rated recruits such as Kareem Stagg (a Georgia commit) and Xzavion Mitchell (Iowa State) in Thursday's run "Because I'm playing with a lot of great players," Lee said in an Iverson Classic afterwards get used to playing with everybody that's going high-major into good schools." Lee will have Stojakovic and Illini veterans Kylan Boswell and Ty Rodgers to contend with for playing time after he arrives in Champaign his prospects of early success in that challenge seem quite a bit brighter Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates Cross Construction will begin rehabilitation work on Church Street from Prospect Avenue to Prairie Street Work will begin with minor curb and sidewalk ramp replacement and progress to patching One lane in each direction will be open to through traffic; however motorists are urged to take alternate routes to avoid delays This phase of the rehabilitation work on Church Street is scheduled to be completed by July 18 Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry shouted the famous line from the film ‘Jerry Maguire’ inside his office at the Smith Center Outside of his office was a startled Bret Bielema who just finished up a long day of spring exit meetings “I hope he’s not talking to a recruit right now,” Bielema thought to himself Henry had just gotten off a FaceTime call with current Detroit Lions safety and former Illini Kerby Joseph who just signed a record-breaking four-year $86 million extension reaching the goal of almost every NFL player: signing the elusive second contract The former Illini is now the highest-paid safety in NFL history “I remember it like it was yesterday,” Henry said “We were getting beat really badly by Virginia and he made a really good play in quarters coverage He wasn’t even supposed to be near that play but he made a play on the PBU that was probably the most instinctive play I’ve seen a DB make from his quarter of the field.” That was the moment Henry knew Joseph was specia even though he hadn’t even been a starter at that point in his Illini career Henry has five former Illini stars’ jerseys framed inside his office: Kerby Joseph Joseph as a sophomore played both wide receiver and defensive back Bielema was named the Illini’s new head coach And Bielema had not idea what he was getting in Joseph “What position do you think I should play?” Joseph asked Bielema Let me kind of watch the film where you’re at,” Bielema responded Joseph is the highest paid safety in the NFL Track and Field Closes Regular Season in Champaign Ill.5/1/2025 4:00:00 PM | TRACK AND FIELD DePaul travels for Gary Wieneke Memorial at Illinois MicroSurfacing Contractors LLC will begin sealing streets in the southeast one-third of Champaign (see the map below) The residential streets will be closed for about four hours until cured Heavily traveled streets and streets with businesses will have one lane open at all times Residents will be notified by door flyers the day before closing and they should have their cars parked outside the work area if needed Please do not park on the streets that are posted “No Parking” from 7:30 a.m The project should take about two weeks to complete depending on weather conditions The JOANN Fabric and Crafts store in north Champaign is now permanently closed The chain's Danville location has likewise shut its doors with staff confirming that the store's last day of business was Monday JOANN has announced that GA Group and the prepetition term loan agent won the bid to acquire "substantially all of the company's assets." subject to Bankruptcy Court approval of the transaction the winning bidders plan to begin winding down the Company's operations and conduct going-out-of-business sales at all store locations," company officials said advisors and legal partners made every possible effort to pursue a more favorable outcome that would keep the company in business." Sales are expected to last until the end of May or while supplies last Illinois Field will host the IHSA Class 1A and 2A baseball state tournament on June 6 and June 7 instead of Dozer Park in Peoria because of a scheduling conflict at Dozer Park Conflict with Dozer Park in Peoria moves event to Illinois Field instead this year CHAMPAIGN — Dozer Park in downtown Peoria won’t host the IHSA Class 1A and 2A baseball state tournament this year The IHSA announced the surprising move on Wednesday citing a conflict with Dozer Park on June 6 and June 7 the dates of the small-school baseball state tournament Dozer Park is the home of the Class A Peoria Chiefs and the Chiefs are set to host the Quad Cities River Bandits on those two dates “The Chiefs didn’t catch the conflict until it was too late,” IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson said “The Chiefs’ efforts in working with MLB to remedy the situation ultimately were not successful We are disappointed because Dozer Park is a wonderful facility but feel fortunate to have another outstanding facility and host partner in the Illini athletic department and Experience Champaign-Urbana willing to pinch-hit as hosts.” This will mark the third state finals event hosted on the UI campus this school year are held at State Farm Center in mid-February every year The IHSA boys’ basketball state tournament held in Champaign from 1919 through 1995 before returning in 2022 takes place in mid-March at State Farm Center The 1A and 2A baseball state tournament will bring eight games to Champaign during the two-day window Four state semifinal games will take place on June 6 with two third-place games and two state championship games on June 7 Seeds for both postseason events will be released next Tuesday “We look forward to Illinois Field hosting the 2025 Class 1A and Class 2A baseball state finals,” IHSA assistant executive director and baseball administrator Sam Knox said “The IHSA has a long-standing relationship with the Illini athletic department and Experience Champaign-Urbana and look forward to working together to provide an outstanding state final experience for the players will still take place at Duly Heath & Care Field in Joliet an independent baseball team that plays in the Frontier League has a home series scheduled for the first weekend in June Illinois Field becomes the 10th venue to host the IHSA baseball state tournament since its inception in 1940 Dozer Park has hosted the 1A and 2A baseball state tournament since 2011 “We are honored to host these athletes and their fans at Illinois Field on the University of Illinois campus,” said Jayne DeLuce the president and CEO of Experience Champaign-Urbana “As we do for the IHSA individual wrestling tournament and the boys’ state basketball championships we will welcome these teams with our signature Midwest hospitality We look forward to showcasing our brilliant local businesses and experiences in the area.” The Illinois baseball team’s regular season is set to end May 17 at Ohio State with the final home series scheduled for May 9-11 against UCLA in Champaign The Big Ten baseball tournament is set to run from May 20-25 in Omaha with regional play in the NCAA tournament scheduled for May 30 through June 2 Illinois is 26-16 on the season after Tuesday night’s 5-2 win at Bradley and sits at 12-9 in the Big Ten heading into a three-game weekend series at Rutgers that begins Friday Illinois is trying to make its second consecutive NCAA tournament appearance this season and if it does hosting duties for either the regional or super-regional games The 64 teams who make the NCAA tournament are expected to be announced at 11 a.m with the top 16 teams receiving national seeds and the option of hosting a super-regional if they advance past the regional round that they would host Illnois Field has only hosted one super-regional before and that was in 2015 when the 50-win Illini lost to national runner-up Vanderbilt in two games at Illinois Field Matt Daniels is sports editor at The News-Gazette. His email is mdaniels@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@mdaniels_NG) Shaw Brothers will close Taylor Street between Walnut Street and Market Street Raptor Power Systems President Evan El Koury with the company’s mascot in the lobby of a new manufacturing facility under development in Champaign on Thursday Raptor Power Systems President Evan El Koury stands Thursday in front of one of the power distribution units the company will manufacture at its Apollo Drive facility in Champaign A lounge inside Raptor Power Systems’ new facility on Apollo Drive on Thursday Raptor Power Systems President Evan El Koury gives a tour of a new manufacturing facility and offices under development in Champaign on Thursday Raptor Power Systems’ new facility on Apollo Drive includes a warehouse space where power distribution units will be manufactured President Evan El Koury expects their first product to be off the line by August CHAMPAIGN — A company that specializes in power-distribution equipment for data centers is opening a new plant in north Champaign Raptor Power Systems is setting up shop at a building in the Apollo Drive industrial area that totals over 65,000 square feet and includes a warehouse distributes and monitors power inside of data centers 500,000 watts to 1.2 million watts per unit,” President Evan El Koury told The News-Gazette The company currently has two manufacturing facilities in New Jersey and the Champaign site will be their largest yet The local facility will mainly focus on making the company’s “flagship” power-distribution units and also testing the units once they’re assembled El Koury said the company has already hired a plant manager and wants to “scale” to about 50 skilled manufacturing employees in the coming eight to 14 weeks He estimated that the plant will employ about 75 people by the end of the year with the figure also including administrative staff and maintenance employees He expects their first product to be off the line by August items on the to-do list include hiring and training employees as well as installing automation equipment a lot of the manufacturing that we do is done by people and not by machines,” El Koury said “So even though those automation equipment exist within our production it is by and large a human process to put our units together.” He also noted that The Atkins Group took care of a “fit-out” of the space and aided them in upgrading the site’s power service to facilitate testing When asked what brought Raptor to Champaign El Koury said that his wife grew up in Savoy and the two of them moved to the area about 15 years ago He previously worked out of an office space on Staley Road “We decided to open the factory here not just because I’m here,” he said the talent pool that exists in the Champaign area is ideal for the type of work that we do where you have that kind of skilled labor that you saw from places like Kraft or Caterpillar or places like that but also the engineering talent that you kind of have at the school mixed with a reasonable cost of living and available industrial space It was kind of a match made in heaven for us atFighting Illini Twilight Darrione WilliamsRecap | Track and Field has succesful trip to Champaign 04/27/2025 | 2:47:00 | Track and Field