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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Following a historic third regular season under the leadership of head coach Shauna Green, three Fighting Illini student-athletes secured All-Big Ten accolades from the conference’s coaches and media. Kendall Bostic earned first-team honors for the first time in her career, Genesis Bryant claimed a spot on the second team for the second time in her career, and Adalia McKenzie was an honorable mention honoree for the second time. Bostic was Illinois’ Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient for the fourth straight year.
ILLINI AWARDS BREAKDOWN
Kendall Bostic – First Team (Coaches), First Team (Media), Sportsmanship Award
Genesis Bryant – Second Team (Coaches), Second Team (Media)
Adalia McKenzie – Honorable Mention (Media)
Bostic earned all-conference honors for the third time in her career while becoming the 18th student-athlete in program history to garner All-Big Ten First Team status. The Kokomo, Indiana, native broke the Illinois career rebounding record during her final season with the program, while she tied the program record for career double-doubles after posting a Big Ten-most 19 such performances across 29 regular-season games. The heart of the Illinois women’s basketball team, Bostic leads the conference in minutes per game (35.0), rebounds per game (11.3), defensive rebounds per game (9.0), double-doubles (19), total rebounds (327), defensive rebounds (262), and minutes (1,015).
Starting all 29 regular-season games for the Orange and Blue during the 2024-25 campaign, Bostic led the Illini in points and rebounds, averaging a career-high 15.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 blocks. The fifth-year forward also posted seven 20-point outings, 26 10-point performances, and 22 10-rebound games. One of the most efficient shooters in the conference, Bostic went 53.1% from the field, 31.6% from 3-point range, and 84.6% from the free-throw line.
Bostic is the second student-athlete under third-year head coach Shauna Green to earn First Team All-Big Ten accolades, joining Makira Cook, who did so during the 2022-23 season. Bostic is also one of two All-Big Ten First Team student-athletes to be their program’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient.
An all-conference honoree for the third consecutive season, Bryant is a member of the All-Big Ten Second Team for the second time after also garnering that distinction in 2022-23. The Fighting Illini’s floor general, Bryant has led the team all season as the squad’s only true point guard while playing a position she had not taken on since high school. Bryant has amassed 23 double-digit scoring efforts while logging 20+ points on nine occasions and 30+ points once.
Averaging 14.9 points, a career-high 3.9 assists and 3.6 rebounds, and 33.9 minutes, Bryant has played six complete games this season while starting all 29 contests. Bryant has gone 129-of-143 from the free throw line for a career-best 90.2% clip in addition to shooting 39.0% from 3-point range (62-of-159). Bryant has connected on multiple 3-pointers in 18 contests, currently sitting in third place on the program’s career 3-pointers list.
McKenzie secured All-Big Ten Honorable Mention status for the second time in her career, earning the recognition by the media for her efforts on the offensive and defensive ends of the court. Playing in every game of her four-year Illinois career thus far, McKenzie started all 29 contests in her final season with the program. She scored in double figures 23 times, registered three 20-point efforts during the 2024-25 campaign, and notched one double-double.
The Minnesota native averaged 13.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, a career-high 3.2 assists and 33.1 minutes, and a 1.45 assist/turnover ratio. One of her three blocks sealed Illinois’ comeback road win over Rutgers, while she made 31 steals for a 1.1 steals/game average. Recording at least 40 minutes on four occasions, McKenzie shot 45.2% from the field and a career-best 76.2% from the free-throw line while knocking down a career-most 10 3-pointers.
[7] Illinois begins its postseason run in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT in Indianapolis against either [10] Nebraska or [15] Rutgers.
