IG Events
Upcoming Events
To be announced soon
Past Events
Women’s Hoops, Scouts and NIL!
Sunday, February 19
State Farm Center
The Illini Guardians were thrilled to have sponsored over 170 Scouts to see the Fighting Illini Women’s Basketball team beat Penn State, meet the players and enjoy a custom made autographed poster, all made possible through an NIL contract with the team!
The Prairielands Boy Scout Council in Champaign, Illinois cheered the Fighting Illini Women’s Basketball team to victory against Penn State, 85-62, on February 19, 2023 at the State Farm Center. The Scouts and their families experienced the power of NIL first-hand, as Illini Guardians provided tickets and an NIL meet and greet with the student athletes. The NIL undertaking included a specially design poster courtesy of Illini Guardians, which the team autographed, as a testament to the wonderful opportunities that can be found when NIL and community engagement come together.
Illini Football Players show support for Illini Guardians
As part of a team-wide NIL effort with the Illinois football team, a few football players made their own videos to show their appreciation for the support of the Illini Guardians NIL Collective.
Help us continue to support our Illini student-athletes and continue the winning tradition we all know and love by joining the Illini Guardians today. Click here for our subscription page.
Illinois vs. Wisconsin Watch Party
Thank you to our 10 star football players who were contracted through Illini Guardians to travel to Joe’s on Weed Street in Chicago, to cheer along side 350 Illini fans as our men’s basketball team beat Wisconsin 61-51! To create more NIL opportunities for Illini student athletes and our fans, WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT to become a subscriber of Illini Guardians. A strong NIL program is the key to attracting and retaining student athletes with the character and talent to become champions! Please subscribe to Illini Guardians today, because you can’t spell Illini without NIL! To read more about the event, click here.
Illini Guardians Holiday Greetings
The Illini Guardians wish you a happy holiday season by having a few Fighting Illini student-athletes sing the holiday classic Jingle Bells. Happy Holidays Illini Fans!
Chicago Positive Impact Toy Drive!
Ended December 21, 2022
Illini Guardians partnered with former Illini guard Tracy Abrams and Chicago Positive Impact for a fantastic toy drive this past holiday season.
We are extra proud of men’s basketball stars Luke Goode, RJ Melendez, Jayden Epps, and football stars Casey Washington, Tommy DeVito, Josh McCray and Isaiah Williams for using their NIL notoriety to tweet and promote this great cause!
Composite Poster
Illini Guardians was thrilled to contract with six student athletes from different sports to create an AUTOGRAPHED(!!) poster free to all Illini Guardian subscribers at the Guardian Bronze level!
The athletes represented on the poster to the left are Makira Cook (women’s basketball), Mia Takekawa (women’s gymnastics), Raina Terry (volleyball), Terrence Shannon Jr. (men’s basketball), Piercen Hunt (men’s golf), and Brian Hightower (football).
Become a member of Illini Guardians today. Join now!
Illinois vs. Northwestern Tailgate Event
Saturday, November 26, 2022
Over 150 Fighting Illini fans bought tickets and showed up for the Illini Guardians tailgate pre-game event at the VFW Post in Evanston (just a short walk to Ryan Field). It was a beautiful day for a football game in November, and while fun was had by all at the tailgate, the day got even better as the Illini ran all over the Wildcats and won 41-3 vs. our in-state rivals and took home the Land of Lincoln trophy!
Vegas Game Watch
Saturday, November 19, 2022
While In Las Vegas for the Continental Tire Main Event (men’s basketball tournament), the Illini Guardians hosted hundreds of our closest Fighting Illini friends and fans to gather together to watch Michigan (and their referees) battle the Illini football team.
It was a great game and almost a huge upset by our Illini, only to be done in by a field goal late in the game by Michigan. Go Illinois!!!
Meet the New Guys
Saturday, September 10, 2022
It was a doubly exciting day as the Fighting Illini Football team defeated the University of Virginia at Memorial Stadium and the Illini Guardians hosted a meet & greet autograph session with the seven (7) new members of the 2022/23 Fighting Illini Men’s Basketball Team.
Over 500 Illini fans and families stopped by the Illini Guardians tents in Grange Grove to meet all the new guys. We truly appreciate them making the time to meet their fans and we are all excited about seeing these guys on the basketball court.
Decatur Event
May 2022
It is not everyday that AD Josh Whitman, Coach Bielema and Coach Underwood hang out in Decatur, but they did just that at our first Illini Guardians event. Over 200 Illini fans came out to hear about the upcoming seasons for both the Fighting Illini Football and Men’s Basketball programs. A great time was had by all.
Day off Social Media
March 14, 2022
Illini Guardians contracted with 100 student athletes across all sports to take a “Day Off Social” as part of a national campaign to push young people away from social media and promote community engagement and healthier mental self-care. To read more about the event, click here!
MLK Day
January 2022
In a demonstration of the powerful reach and impact college name, image and likeness (NIL) programming can bring to the community, Illinois star football players, Isaiah Williams and Alex Palczewski, met with Chicago grade school students on February 26, 2022 at the Evolution Express Art Show on Chicago’s South Side in celebration of Black History Month. To see video from the event, click on the box to the right! To read more about the event, click here!
Fighting Illini Linemen Tackle Hunger
After the nation’s first NIL food drive to Help Tackle Hunger was a resounding success, please listen as linemen Alex Pilhlstom, Jamal Woods and Alex Palczewski reflect on their experience with the elementary students involved, with the Eastern Illinois food bank, and with Illini Guardians. To read more about the Help Tackle Hunger Food Drive, click here!
Coleman Hawkins Interview with IlliniGuys
Please enjoy this interview sponsored by Illini Guardians! Coleman Hawkins describes the importance of NIL to the basketball program, what it’s like to experience a football crazed campus, how this year’s freshman hoopsters are integrating with newly added experienced leaders, what to expect from Coleman’s game, this year’s team, and even Luke Goode’s repeated efforts to burn every meal he cooks.
Watch the full version to hear it all directly from Coleman