Chambana Sun

Illinois Women's Basketball has secured a new addition to their team with the signing of Erica Finney. The announcement was made by Head Coach Shauna Green, confirming that Finney will join the Fighting Illini program. Originally from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Finney is set to enroll at the University of Illinois in January but will not compete until the 2025-26 season. Her commitment was formalized through a Big Ten Athletics Scholarship Agreement during the National Signing Period.

Finney brings impressive credentials to the team. Standing at 6'0", she played as a guard for Cammeraygal High School and showcased her skills on an international level. During the FIBA U17 2024 World Cup in Mexico, she averaged 8.0 points and 2.4 rebounds per game while shooting 35.9% from beyond the arc for Team Australia. Additionally, she represented New South Wales at the 2024 Australian National Championships, achieving averages of 12.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and shooting 41.1% from three-point range.

Her accolades include being named the NBL1 East Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and Most Improved Player in 2024. She also claimed victory as a State Champion with Norths Bears in 2024 and won Australian National Championships with New South Wales in both 2022 and 2024.

On choosing Illinois, Finney expressed her enthusiasm: "I really liked the family feel of the team and coaches, which was important to me with moving to the other side of the world." She also appreciated "the team's style of play along with Coach Green's competitive nature."

Coach Green shared her excitement about Finney joining: "Erica Finney comes to us from Australia. She's an elite shooter with deep, deep range... With her enrolling early, we'll have some extra months with Erica in our strength and conditioning program."

Finney's academic achievements are notable as well; she earned honors such as Excellence in History and Creative Arts Award in 2023.