Illinois volleyball finished 13-16, the worst full season win percentage of the Chris Tamas era.
It was the fourth missed NCAA Tournament for the Illini under Tamas and the third time in the past four years. It was only the second season in Tamas' nine seasons in Champaign-Urbana that the squad finished under .500, with the only other time being the shortened 2020 campaign.
2025 started with promise, as Illinois quickly shook off a season-opening upset loss against South Dakota State and looked really solid throughout the rest of non-conference, which led right into the best Big Ten start in 14 seasons.
That run included impressive wins over Oregon, Michigan State, Ohio State, Northwestern, and their signature win of 2025, a gutsy road win over No. 10 Purdue.
Unfortunately, 12-5 (7-1) would be as good as it got for the Illini in 2025. They would go on to lose the next six matches, a combined 18 set losses, while only picking up three set wins during that stretch. The momentum shift was obvious, and the team just couldn't recover.
The Illinois volleyball discourse
That collapse certainly reignited frustration within the fanbase. In a piece I wrote after the 2025 season ended, I highlighted the struggles the program has endured in recent years.
In just the past six seasons, Illinois Volleyball has an 8-51 record against ranked opponents, hasn't finished higher than 7th in the Big Ten, and has only finished one season ranked in the top 25.
The through line of the offseason conversation has been whether Coach Tamas, now entering his 10th season, can get the program back to where it was when he took over, a national powerhouse and a yearly championship contender. At this point, Illini fans are just hoping to see their girls back in the Big Dance.
New Faces
The transfer portal work has been the headline of the offseason. The Orange and Blue landed 6-foot-3 Tennessee opposite Paityn Chapman, who averaged over 2.3 kills per set in each of her first two seasons with the Volunteers.
It wasn’t pretty, but Tennessee escapes set one up 1-0.
— WUTK’s Rock Solid Sports (@wutksports) September 19, 2025
Paityn Chapman leads in kills at 5, Caroline Kerr in assist with 11, and Maggie Dostic leads in digs with 5. pic.twitter.com/lATpBXdlIP
She will most likely step in and be asked to contribute immediately in 2026 on the right side, especially considering the loss of Auburn Tomkinson.
They also added Northern Iowa transfer Lindsay Oldendorf, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker and Illinois native (Homer Glen). She previously played at the University of San Francisco, and most recently at Northern Iowa where she earned all-conference honors in 2025. She has one season of eligibility remaining.
Most recently, it was announced that the team will add Talita Goncalves, a libero from Brazil with vast experience overseas, as well as a season at San Jose State, where she thrived in the backcourt. She will join a crowded room of defensive specialists, all competing for playing time in 2026.
Lastly, on the high school side, Illinois added Maya Harris and Madi Miles, who both signed their agreements back in November and have been on campus working with the team this past spring.
Returners and depatures
I already mentioned the big loss for Illinois this offseason in opposite Tomkinson. She appeared in 28 games for Illinois in 2025, averaging 2.27 kills per set, hitting .196.
Other than that, the big losses were expected ones. Averie Hernandez, Kayla Burbage, Cari Bohm, and Bianca May all graduated. Tamas and staff will certainly be looking for new leadership out on the court and on the bench in 2026.
Key pieces expected back are outside hitters Taylor de Boer and Alyssa Aguayo, both very established on the pins, along with 2025 transfer-setter Kenna Phelan, who looks to fill one of those leadership roles left vacant by the graduating seniors.
Ashlyn Philpot also returns for her junior season, a force to be reckoned with in the middle. The Fighting Illini will retain over 60% of their offensive output from 2025, Philpot being a big part of that, along with Aguayo and de Boer.
Ashlyn Philpot on the slide!
— Illinois Volleyball (@IlliniVBall) September 28, 2025
S4 | Illinois 13, Purdue 15 pic.twitter.com/nANjWFzzBA
Schedule Note
Looking ahead, Illinois recently released its 2026 regular-season schedule, featuring 17 Big Ten matchups, a first-of-its-kind Big Ten Tournament, and 13 home dates at Huff Hall, kicking off August 28 at home against Cincinnati in a three-team round robin.
They will face Syracuse on August 30 before traveling to Knoxville, Tennessee, to take on Chapman's old team in the inaugural Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge on September 1.
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