Illinois, the youngest team in Women's NCAA tournament, proving age is just a number

No. 7 seed Illinois faces No. 2 seed Vanderbilt in the second round of the Women's NCAA Tournament.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 11:03am

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No team in the Women's NCAA Tournament is younger than No. 7 seed Illinois, with 12 of their 15 players being underclassmen and an average team age under 20. Despite concerns about their inexperience, the Fighting Illini are embracing their youth as a key part of their success and are preparing to challenge No. 2 seed Vanderbilt on the Commodores' home court in the second round.

Why it matters

For a program still working to establish itself, Illinois' youth was initially seen as a concern. However, the team has turned that perceived weakness into a strength, using it as motivation to prove they belong in the NCAA Tournament despite their young roster.

The details

Illinois posted a 22-10 record in head coach Shauna Green's first full season and won the 2024 WBIT championship. Now, they're in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, preparing to face a tough challenge against No. 2 seed Vanderbilt. The young Illini team has had to show composure in close games earlier in the season, which has translated into valuable experience.

  • Illinois posted a 22-10 record in head coach Shauna Green's first full season.
  • Illinois won the 2024 WBIT championship.
  • Illinois is now in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

The players

Shauna Green

The head coach of the Illinois women's basketball team, who has led the program's quick turnaround after back-to-back losing seasons just a few years ago.

Gretchen Dolan

One of the two players on the Illinois roster over the age of 21.

Gisela Segura

The other player on the Illinois roster over the age of 21.

Cearah Parchment

A freshman guard for the Illinois team who has helped the young squad gain valuable experience in close games earlier in the season.

Jasmine Brown-Hagger

A junior and one of the few upperclassmen on the Illinois roster, who is referred to as a team captain and shares the team's outlook that age is just a number.

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What they’re saying

“We're the youngest team in the NCAA tournament … at first I was like, we're not going to talk about youth. Then I'm like, we are what we are … let's use it as more fuel.”

— Shauna Green, Head Coach

“We've had a lot of close games this season. That experience helped us now … we didn't make the mistakes we were making a month ago.”

— Cearah Parchment, Freshman Guard

“I feel like a lot of people underestimate us just because of [our youth]. But we know what we're capable of. At the end of the day, it's basketball. And there's no age to basketball.”

— Jasmine Brown-Hagger, Junior

What’s next

Illinois will face No. 2 seed Vanderbilt on Monday, March 23 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

Illinois' young roster has turned their perceived weakness of inexperience into a strength, using their youth as motivation to prove they belong in the NCAA Tournament. The team's confidence and composure in close games earlier in the season have translated into valuable experience, setting them up for a chance to pull off an upset against a tough Vanderbilt squad.