Chambana Sun

The Fighting Illini women's basketball team celebrated a historic achievement as three of its players, Kendall Bostic, Genesis Bryant, and Makira Cook, were named to the WBIT all-tournament team. Makira Cook was also honored with the Most Outstanding Player award. This recognition follows their successful run to clinch the program's first postseason title with a 71-57 victory over Villanova in the WBIT championship.

This marks a significant milestone for the Illini, as it is the first time since Jenna Smith's inclusion in 2008-09 that any Illinois player has been named to a postseason all-tournament team. Additionally, Cook is distinguished as the first Illinois player to receive Most Outstanding Player honors in a postseason competition.

Makira Cook demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the tournament, averaging 21 points and 4.6 assists over five games. Her standout performances included scoring 20 points against Washington State in the semifinals and contributing significantly with 27 points against Villanova in the final game.

Kendall Bostic secured her place on the all-tournament team by delivering a notable double-double performance with 15 points and 15 rebounds during the championship game against Villanova. Her consistent play was evident as she recorded double-doubles in nine of her last eleven games.

Genesis Bryant rounded out Illinois' representation on the all-tournament team by maintaining strong performances across multiple games. She scored consistently in double figures during both games held in Indianapolis and four out of five WBIT contests overall.