Media Request

<p style=&#34;margin-left:0px;&#34;><i><strong>THE FIGHTING ILLINI ARE 2026 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS </strong></i></p><p style=&#34;margin-left:0px;&#34;>Illinois&#39; triumph in the 2026 NCAA Tournament capped off a basketball season no fan will ever forget. Brad Underwood&#39;s squad arrived with powerful depth and a singular mindset, capturing the first national championship in program history.</p><p style=&#34;margin-left:0px;&#34;>Anchored by a historically elite offense, Illinois built on crucial offseason moves and steadily climbed the national rankings during the regular season. In March, the tight-knit team fought past Penn, VCU, Houston and&nbsp;Big Ten rival&nbsp;Iowa to set up a Final Four thriller against powerhouse UConn, which punched their ticket to the championship game.</p><p style=&#34;margin-left:0px;&#34;>Packed with in-depth analysis and storytelling from Illini Inquirer alongside stunning action photography, Hail to the Orange: The Fighting Illini&#39;s Historic 2026 Championship season&nbsp;reveals all the elements that made this journey possible, from scouting the team&#39;s beloved &#34;Balkan Bloc&#34; to cultivating the breakout talent of&nbsp;freshman star&nbsp;Keaton Wagler. This commemorative edition also includes in-depth features on Underwood, hometown hero Kylan Boswell and more. </p>