Illinois State was selected on March 15 to compete in the 28th annual Postseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), marking the Redbirds’ sixth-straight postseason appearance. The announcement came after tournament officials finalized the field of 48 teams following months of research and discussion.
The selection highlights Illinois State’s continued success under head coach Kristen Gillespie, with the team achieving a 20-13 overall record and a 13-7 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play. This season marks the fourth consecutive year that Illinois State has reached at least 20 wins, a feat last accomplished by the program from 2007-08 to 2010-11.
Bracket details, including locations, opponents, and game times, will be released Monday. The WNIT field consists of nine automatic qualifiers and thirty-nine at-large selections based on various criteria. Twenty-one teams in this year’s tournament have recorded at least twenty wins, including Illinois State. All games will be played at campus sites, with first-round matchups scheduled for March 19-21 and the championship set for April 4.
The Redbirds are making their seventeenth all-time appearance in the WNIT and their fifth during Gillespie’s tenure as head coach. Since 2000, Illinois State holds a record of nineteen wins and eleven losses in WNIT play, which includes reaching the Fab Four last season with a three-win run.
According to the official website, Illinois State Redbirds benefits from the Redbird Athletics Excellence Fund for competitiveness and recruitment. The athletics program is linked to Illinois State University and competes in NCAA Division I events across various regions according to the official website. The OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Center is used for student-athlete preparation according to the official website. Additionally, fans can access news, schedules, rosters, and resources through GoRedbirds.com according to the official website.
Looking ahead, fans are encouraged to follow GoRedbirds.com or use the Illinois State Redbirds App for updates on tickets and further information as postseason play begins.
