The Illineks traveled to Oakwood High School on Thursday for their first match of the season. The Comets, featuring one of the area's top defensive players, senior Stephanie Denius, downed Uni in two games. But Illinek coach Amanda Palla is confident the girls can build on their record-setting accomplishments of 2006, the first winning season in Uni volleyball history. They will travel to DeLand-Weldon on Saturday for the annual Eagle Classic: five matches in a single day.

Despite outstanding play by their defense, including several top-notch saves by News-Gazette athlete of the week Isaac Radnitzer late in the game, the Illineks couldn't get back in the win column Thursday, falling 1-0 to the visiting Bulldogs of Mahomet-Seymour. Radnitzer finished the game with 18 saves, including 12 in the first half. The boys visit Fisher on Tuesday in a rematch of the final game of last weekend's Uni High Soccer Shoot Out, when the teams tied 1-1.

A student honor council, along with an honor code, have officially arrived, and students accused of cheating can now choose trial by peers as the means of determining proper consequences. However, the honor council will only be advisory. The new system is probationary, replacing the previous three-strike rule.

Talib Kweli's fourth solo release, “Eardrum,” puts Kweli back in his musical comfort zone — a myriad of neo-backpacker producers, who count Kanye West, will.i.am, and old buddy Hi-Tek among their number, have constructed a pleasing if conventional soul- and jazz-infused street poetry soundscape for our MC to explore.

Three days after winning the annual Uni High Soccer Shoot Out, the Illineks suffered their first loss of the season, falling to Judah Christian 5-0 Tuesday in Champaign. The boys will try to rebound later this week when they host Mahomet-Seymour on Thursday.

Last season Malcolm Taylor narrowly missed out on qualifying for the IHSA Class A state finals. Today the junior served notice that he's ready for a run to Peoria with a strong performance at the Kickapoo Kickoff Classic. As a team, Uni showed major improvement under tough conditions.

Senior Michelle Mehnert showed that she's one of the top cross country runners in the state with a dominating first-place performance today at the Kickapoo Kickoff Classic. Overall, the Ilineks won the title for the second straight year, with five Uni runners placing in the top 10.

The Uni senior was one of only 11 students from throughout the state chosen this year to serve on the Student Advisory Council, sponsored by the Illinois State Board of Education. Ma joins Uni classmate Micah Berman, who was named to the council last year.

Every week, co-editors-in-chief Erin Hayes and Kumars Salehi will give you the rundown on what's hot in entertainment. In this edition, a bunch of super-furry animals invades East Germany, and there's no end in sight! Or is there?

The Illini are stocked with blue-chip recruits this year, and they head into the season with a good blend of young players and veteran leaders. A major improvement on last year's 2-10 record is expected. Any bowl game would be nice for a change, but a Jan. 1 bowl would be ideal. Stay tuned to see how the Illini fare this season. In the meantime, check out this slideshow from the Rantoul scrimmage.

The 2007 Illineks opened their season today in a familiar way: by winning the Uni High Soccer Shoot Out. It's the seventh time in as many years that the hosts have won the tournament. The Illineks sealed the title by tying Fisher 1-1 in the final game of the day at the DCR Soccer Complex. With 3 minutes left in the first half, sophomore Eddie Diazmunoz scored Uni's only goal.

Forward Eddie Diazmunoz, playing in his first varsity season, gave the Illineks the only goal they needed as they won their second game of the 2007 Soccer Shoot Out, defeating Blue Ridge 1-0 this afternoon. Uni is one victory away from winning its seventh consecutive Shoot Out championship. The Illineks will play Fisher at 4:15 p.m.

Students packed into Uni Gymnasium on Wednesday, Aug. 22, for Uni's annual morning assembly welcoming students to the new school year. Assistant Director Sue Kovacs introduced the new faculty for the 2007-08 school year, interim Director/Principal Steve Epperson addressed the crowd, and Student Council president Micah Berman and his fellow officers Shara Esbenshade and Suran Yoo pumped up the students before everyone returned to Uni to begin classes.

The Uni boys soccer team opened the 2007 season with a 5-1 victory over the Oakwood Comets Saturday morning at the DCR Soccer Complex. The Illineks will play two more games today: at 11:45 a.m. against Blue Ridge and 4:15 p.m. against Fisher. Uni is aiming for its seventh consecutive Soccer Shoot Out title.

The former Uni math teacher and administrator has been hired to replace Kassie Patton for the upcoming school year.