There is plenty of talent on the Illinois basketball roster entering the 2026-27 season, and Shauna Green's toughest job is going to be figuring out how to get everyone enough minutes.
The Illini, who finished last season with a 22-12 record, successfully retained roughly 90% of their roster for the 2026-27 season. They had one of the best retention rates in the country, and it really helped to solidify the core for this young team.
This is going to be a special season for Illinois, with a frontcourt full of stars like Berry Wallace and Cearah Parchment. But a little further down the depth chart, there is one player who hasn't seen as much exposure as Wallace and Parchment, and that is 6-foot-3 forward Irene Noya Catoira.
Sending a huge congrats to sophomore Irene Noya Catoira for earning a spot on Spain's U19 roster for the 2025 FIBA Women's World Cup! 🔶🔷 pic.twitter.com/YjaNRXXGKY
— Illinois Women's Basketball (@IlliniWBB) July 9, 2025
Catoira, a product of Vilagarcía de Arousa, Pontevedra, Spain, committed to the program in June 2024. She has been a major part of Spain's national teams for many years, making her debut in the Ciudad de Toledo International Tournament when she was 15-years old.
In her two years with the Illini, Catoira has seen the floor sparingly, averaging one point and one rebound through 24 games played. But when she is on the court, she gives Illinois another lengthy big in the frontcourt who is capable of stretching the floor.
Illinois basketball having Irene Noya Catoira rostered shows just how deep the bench can go
During the 2026-27 season, Green is going to have one of the best teams in the country on paper. This roster is stacked from top to bottom, with multiple positions stretching 3-4 players deep.
Sadly, this may pose a problem for Catoira when it comes to playing time, as she would need to contend with Wallace and Parchment for minutes. As of right now, it's hard to really see her breaking through towards the top of the team in that regard.
But when it comes to her play overseas, it's hard not to see Catoira continue her basketball career after her time at Illinois is over. She has achieved considerable success with both her club team and the international team, winning two regular season championships with Segle XXI, as well as securing bronze with Spain's U19 national team.
Simply put, regardless of what happens this season with the Illini, Catoira is going to have a lot to write home about when it's all said and done.
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