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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
The Danville Area Community College volleyball team at The News-Gazette office in Champaign on Aug. 9. Front row: Kayla Cordes, Halle Brazelton, Kaitlynn Lange and Kendall Roberts. Middle row: Desiree Glaze, Nikita Taylor, Peyton Williams and Molly Doggett. Back row: Ravyn Davis, Maddix Minick, Lakin Alyea and Aubree Leader.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. When the Danville Area Community College volleyball team hosts Parkland at 6 p.m. on Oct. 16, it’s about more than just volleyball. All proceeds from the match will go towards the American Red Cross to support Hurricane Helene Relief efforts.
➜ 2. Voting continues until noon on Thursday at our website for the latest High School Athletes of the Week.
➜ 3. The female finalists are: Bella Almaroad (Mahomet-Seymour diving), Aubrey Busboom (Paxton-Buckley-Loda volleyball), Bridget Cassady (Champaign Central volleyball) and Shae Ellis (Sullivan golf). The male finalists are: Tate Harden (LeRoy golf); Ethan McFarling (Fisher golf), Shabi Prasanth (Uni High soccer) and Graham Ray (St. Joseph-Ogden golf).
Former Illini men’s basketball standout Frank Williams is part of the 2024 class for the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame.
Numbers game: 8
former Illini who will be inducted into the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame at 7 p.m. Friday at State Farm Center in Champaign. Darrick Brownlow (football), Laura DeBruler Santos (volleyball), Janelle Flaws (soccer), Robert Holcombe (football), Herman ‘Pete’ Velasco (fencing), Nick Weatherspoon (men’s basketball), Frank Williams (men’s basketball) and Gary Winckler (women’s track and field coach) make up the eighth class.
Brad Underwood and Sean Evans, host of ‘Hot Ones,’ share a laugh in 2021 at State Farm Center in Champaign.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Purdue at Illinois football. University of Illinois alum Sean Evans, the host of the popular YouTube show ‘Hot Ones,’ will sound the Illini air raid siren before Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. kickoff at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.
➜ 2. New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals. Former Illini Michael Massey is 3 for 7 with two walks for the Royals so far in the ALDS. Game 3 of the best-of-five series is set to begin at 6:08 p.m. Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
➜ 3. San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks. Thursday night would be a prime time for former Illini Devon Witherspoon to secure his first interception this season for a beleaguered Seahawks secondary.
From left, the McDonald family: Phillip, Hadley, Kru and Abby.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball coach Abby McDonald:
➜ 1. My favorite sports teams are … the ones my kids are competing on. Go Spartans and Panthers!
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Dick Duval, Jim Matta and Kevin Hambly.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … missing the serve on set point.
