The women's Illinois basketball program will get a shot in the arm this season, with four-star recruit Manuella Alves making her debut after missing her freshman year with a torn ACL.
Alves, a product of IMG Academy, missed the entire 2025-26 season after suffering a devastating knee injury during the preseason. It was a bit of a setback for what looks to be a bright career with Illinois, but Alves is setting up for a major comeback in 2026.
The 6-foot-3 Alves was one of the top bigs in the class of 2025, ranking No. 11 overall in the state of Florida and as the No. 3 center in the country during her recruitment.
Alves has been a major part of Brazil's national teams for many years, playing in seven FIBA tournaments at the youth level and one at the senior level. In the 2025 FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup, Alves averaged the best stat line of her international career with 14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds in six games.
Manuella Alves will be worked into an elite Illinois frontcourt that's littered with top-tier talent
The frontcourt was the calling card for the women's program last season, with Berry Wallace, Cearah Parchment, and Lety Vasconcelos averaging 33.5 of Illinois' 77.5 points per game.
Alves, with her physicality in the post and ability to stretch the floor, will fit perfectly into coach Shauna Green's offense. She has a skill set similar to Wallace and Parchment, allowing Green to swap them out as needed.
The best part about Alves' return, however, is the fact that it allows Green to be more creative with her lineups. With the versatility that most of her bigs possess, mixed with the dominant stature of Vasconcelos, Green has a roster that can pose a problem for any opponent.
Simply put, it is great to have Alves back, and we can't wait to see her on the floor with the Blue and Orange. It has been a long time coming, but it's time to see her put the country on notice.
Add us as a preferred source on Google