McLean County Times

Illinois State University's women's basketball team has secured a spot in the 2025 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), marking their fifth consecutive postseason appearance. The announcement was made by the WNIT office on Sunday night, with details of the full 48-team bracket to be disclosed on Monday.

Under the leadership of head coach Kristen Gillespie, Illinois State achieved a third straight season with over 20 wins, finishing with a record of 21-12 overall and 14-6 in the Missouri Valley Conference. This achievement mirrors their performance from the 2008-09 to 2010-11 seasons when they also recorded three consecutive seasons with more than 20 victories.

The Redbirds are making their 16th all-time appearance in the WNIT and their fourth under Coach Gillespie's guidance. They have been part of this tournament for three consecutive years now. Since 2000, Illinois State holds an overall record of 16 wins and ten losses in the WNIT, including last year's victory over Charleston at CEFCU Arena that advanced them to the Super 16 round.

The upcoming WNIT will feature a total of 48 teams, comprising eleven automatic qualifiers and thirty-seven at-large selections based on various criteria evaluated by WNIT officials. Among these teams are twenty-two that have won at least twenty games this season, including Illinois State. All tournament games will take place at campus sites, beginning with Round One from March 20 to March 22. The championship game is scheduled for April 5 at CBS Sports Network.

For further information about tickets and other related activities, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or use the Illinois State Redbirds App.