Illinois basketball is building a powerhouse program in Champaign, with a young and dynamic roster that can rival some of the best teams in the country.
Last season, Shauna Green took the youngest team in the Big Ten farther than anyone would have expected, ending with a tough Illini loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
It was a run for the ages for the women's Illinois basketball program, and it showed that there is a lot of promise with this team moving forward. They have a strong core that is already familiar with each other, and they just got even stronger on Tuesday with the addition of Raritan Valley Community College transfer Ona Riopedre.
BIG COMMITMENT:
— Kellen “KellDawg” Sherman (@KShermanSports) May 26, 2026
According to PickUs Education and GoGlobal recruiting, the #Illini have secured a commitment from guard Ona Riopedre.
In 29 games her freshman year, Ona averaged 14.7 pts and 5.0 rebounds on 44.8% FG%. pic.twitter.com/EXVIxg0yoQ
Riopedre, a 6-foot junior guard from Barcelona, Spain, will add quality depth to a back court that already has two five-star guards in Destiny Jackson and Divine Bourrage. In 34 career games for Raritan, she averaged 14.7 points and 5.2 rebounds on 44% shooting from the field.
The CE Montseny product was unfortunately sidelined in her sophomore season after playing just five games for the program. But as a freshman, Riopedre proved that she can be a dynamic scorer for the Lions, leading the team in both points and three-point percentage.
The Illinois basketball roster is filling out quite nicely with the addition of JUCO wing Ona Riopedre
As of writing this, it is safe to say that the backcourt rotation is locked up. Green has a dangerous collection of guards at her disposal that includes the aforementioned Jackson and Bourrage, as well as Maddie Webber and Aaliyah Guyton coming off the bench.
With the addition of Riopedre, Illinois is gaining another exceptional off-ball guard who can help round out the roster. They are bringing in a guard who is a proven commodity at all three levels on the floor, and someone who is not afraid to attack the basket to grab a rebound.
If Riopedre can carve out some minutes for herself, she has the tools to be an interesting piece of Illinois' puzzle. But until that day comes, expect her to be an intriguing developmental piece with huge upside.
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