Chambana Sun

Illinois will begin its 2025 Big Ten volleyball schedule with two matches this weekend, starting at home against Oregon on Friday and then traveling to face #10 Purdue on Sunday.

The Illini are set to host Oregon at Huff Hall in Champaign as part of Homecoming weekend. The match will take place on Friday at 8 p.m. CT and will be available on B1G+. Sunday's contest against Purdue is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT in West Lafayette and will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network.

Illinois concluded its nonconference schedule with a win over Eastern Illinois, improving its record to 5-4 ahead of conference play. In that match, Alyssa Aguayo led the team with her fifth double-double of the season, recording 13 kills and 10 digs. Ashlyn Philpot contributed nine kills and four blocks, while Kenna Phelan registered her third double-double with 38 assists and 13 digs.

Oregon comes into the matchup with a 9-1 record and is currently on a four-match winning streak. The Ducks have a largely new roster this season, featuring 15 newcomers out of 16 players. Junior Valentina Vaulet leads the Big Ten in aces and averages a team-high in kills per set, while Iva Šucurovic leads in blocks.

Oregon is coached by Trent Kersten, who took over the program in February after previous head coaching roles at San Jose State and Loyola Marymount. Kersten achieved his 100th career win earlier this month.

Purdue also holds a 9-1 record entering Big Ten play, riding a seven-match winning streak that includes victories over ranked opponents Kansas and SMU. Head coach Dave Shondell is in his 23rd season leading the Boilermakers, who have been ranked for more than eight years straight.

In series history, Illinois trails Oregon 2-3 all-time but has won both previous meetings when hosting the Ducks in Champaign. Against Purdue, Illinois leads the all-time series 51-46 but has not won at Purdue since an upset victory in West Lafayette during the 2021 season.

Freshman Alyssa Aguayo has made an immediate impact for Illinois this year by averaging nearly three kills per set across nine matches and becoming the first true freshman since Jacqueline Quade (2016) to achieve double-digit kills in her first six collegiate games. Fellow freshman Taryn Kirsch has started every match as libero so far this season.

Auburn Tomkinson transferred from Texas and has recorded double-digit kills four times this year for Illinois. Kenna Phelan took over as starting setter after transferring from Florida State.

Nine newcomers joined Illinois for the current campaign, including transfers Tomkinson and Phelan as well as several freshmen recruits.

Kayla Burbage returned to action after missing last season due to injury; she previously played two seasons with Illinois following her transfer from Missouri.

Redshirt sophomore Taylor de Boer represented Canada internationally over the summer at both U23 NORCECA Pan American Cup—where Canada earned silver—and Senior Pan American Cup competitions.

The current roster features four players from Illinois: Bianca May (Orland Park), Averie Hernandez (Bloomington), Vivian Campbell (Oswego), and Ava Wysocki (Kildeer).

Changes were made to head coach Chris Tamas' staff ahead of this season: Meredith Schamun joined as associate head coach after leading Penn's program for four years; Hannah Hashbarger became director of operations following two seasons at Regis University.

Last year’s squad finished with an overall record of 18-13 (10-10 Big Ten) before falling to Northern Iowa in the NCAA Tournament’s opening round. Raina Terry departed after setting school records for kills, points, and aces; she was drafted into professional volleyball by Columbus Fury.

Ashlyn Philpot returns after being named to last year's Big Ten All-Freshman Team thanks to several strong performances during her debut campaign.

This season’s Illini will appear on national television nine times—including road matches against Purdue, Wisconsin, Minnesota (Big Ten Network), Nebraska/UCLA (FS1), plus home games versus Iowa State/Penn State (BTN).

Head coach Chris Tamas continues his tenure with an overall record of 154-98 (.611) since taking charge at Illinois—including five NCAA Tournament appearances highlighted by a Final Four run in 2018 when he was named AVCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year.