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Published: March 21, 2026, 12:15 AM CDT
Updated: March 21, 2026, 12:15 AM CDT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As the NCAA Tournament unfolds, the Illinois women’s basketball team is set to make waves with its youthful exuberance. When they take the court against Colorado in the first round on Friday, they’ll be fielding the youngest team in the entire competition.
The Illini’s roster boasts an average age of just 19.83 years, a testament to their reliance on fresh talent. Leading this youthful charge are true freshmen Destiny Jackson and Cearah Parchment, pivotal players who each clock in over 28 minutes on the court per game.
True freshman Destiny Jackson and Cearah Parchment both start and play more than 28 minutes per game on average for the Illini.
It’s quite the change of pace of Illinois head coach Shauna Green, who coached a group in 2024-25 which was led by four key seniors. She says the youth has some benefits.
“It’s been really fun to coach this group,” Green said. “They’re so coachable. They want to be elite. So, they’re they’re little sponges. They listen to everything. And you can actually like you see them get better in real time… And it’s been pretty cool.”
Green and the Illini will battle Colorado with tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2 on Saturday.
Colorado is 22-11 overall and has won seven of its last 10 games.