Britney Anderson Assistant Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Britney Anderson Assistant Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Illinois Women's Basketball has secured the No. 7 spot in espnW's Class of 2025 recruiting rankings. Head coach Shauna Green successfully signed five recruits, four of whom are ranked in the top 100 of the espnW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings. The new additions to the team include Manuella Alves, Naomi Benson, Erica Finney, Destiny Jackson, and Cearah Parchment.
During the national signing period, Illinois led the Big Ten by adding four top-100 signees and tied for second nationally. Destiny Jackson is a notable addition as a five-star point guard from Chicago who was also named to the Naismith Trophy Girl's High School Player of the Year Preseason Watch List.
Shauna Green's tenure at Illinois has seen significant achievements, including clinching the inaugural WBIT title in 2024 and achieving 41 wins across her first two years—the most by any head coach in program history. Under her leadership, Illinois has made consecutive postseason appearances for the first time since 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons and achieved high attendance records at State Farm Center.
The team's current success has positively impacted its recruiting efforts. The Illini have appeared in the AP top 25 for consecutive weeks and are currently ranked No. 22 with an undefeated record this season.
Green expressed pride in her latest recruiting class: "We are so proud of this 2025 class that we have put together. I can't thank my staff enough for the hard work, the time that they put in to really develop deep, genuine relationships; that's what we pride ourselves on here."
Manuella Alves from Rio de Janeiro is ranked No. 61 by espnW HoopGurlz and has represented Brazil at international competitions. Naomi Benson from Streetsboro, Ohio, is ranked No. 98 and has earned multiple accolades during her high school career. Erica Finney from Sydney represented Australia at various championships and earned recognition as NBL1 East Defensive Player of the Year in 2023.
Destiny Jackson from Chicago is highly ranked at No. 25 by espnW HoopGurlz and has won several titles with Whitney Young High School. Cearah Parchment from Whitby, Ontario, Canada is ranked No. 40 by espnW HoopGurlz and contributed significantly to Team Canada's performance at international tournaments.
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