The women's Illinois basketball program is in an enviable spot when compared to the rest of the country, as roughly 90% of their roster is returning from a year ago.
Shauna Green experienced some of the best retention in the country for the Illini this offseason, which included the return of an all-conference frontcourt in Berry Wallace and Cearah Parchment.
Illinois will have an embarrassment of riches this season, especially with Wallace and Parchment's uncanny ability to stretch the floor as bigs. But to help change the pace of the game, Green will also have her dominant 6-foot-7 center Lety Vasconcelos coming off the bench once again.
Illinois center Lety Vasconcelos put on a show last night against the Badgers.
— Kellen “KellDawg” Sherman (@KShermanSports) March 5, 2026
The #Illini center scored a career high 12 points while shooting 62.5% from the field.
Lety was absolutely dominant, and will be a key piece for Illinois down the stretch.
pic.twitter.com/5KdrYjheGP
Vasconcelos, a product of Miguel Calmon, Bahia, Brazil, first came to Champaign as a transfer from Baylor prior to the 2024-25 season. She unfortunately missed her first year with the program due to a season-ending ACL injury, but would go on to record 3.5 points and 3.1 boards in 12 minutes per game the following year.
Lety Vasconcelos is a matchup nightmare for opposing bigs, which makes her the perfect rotational piece for the Illinois basketball team
The former Bear is the tallest player on Illinois' roster, standing a full four inches above the team's next tallest big. She became the perfect rotational piece for Green throughout the 2025-26 season, bringing a more traditional paint presence to the rotation.
The No. 36 overall recruit from the class of 2023 boasts a superior size and skill set compared to other bigs in the country. Unfortunately, Vasconcelos does not bring the same range as Wallace and Parchment offensively, but she makes up for it with her dominance down low as Illinois' top rim-protector defensively.
This season, fans can expect Vasconcelos to continue her development with the Illinois basketball program. She will be looked upon in dire situations to help shut down the paint, and will allow Green to continue being creative with her play-calling.
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