The University of Illinois is a NCAA Division 1 school, Big Ten Conference, with athletic facilities in football, tennis, basketball, baseball, cross country, fencing, golf, gymnastics, softball, cheerleader, swimming and diving, track and field, volleyball, soccer and wrestling. The school has also won and competed in many NCAA championships taking home over 160 Big Ten Championships in all of the various sports. Volleyball, wrestling, outdoor track and field, men’s tennis, men’s gymnastics, men’s basket ball and baseball are the school’s top championship winning sports throughout the years.
Many famous athletes once played for the University of Illinois, like Harold Osborn who competed in the 1926 Olympics and brought home two gold medals, or Derek Harper who played 16 seasons in the NBA and holds the 11th place ranking for steals, and 17th for assists. George Halas, Sr. also was an NFL player, coach and eventual owner of the Chicago Bears. It was in fact Halas who moved the team to Chicago Illinois, and in 1922 renamed the team in honor of the Cubs, who had allowed them to play on their field. This great iconic man, who will be remembered by Illinois Alumni, and Bears fans alike, went to The University of Illinois, and played baseball, football, and basketball.