Jul. 29—CHAMPAIGN — More than a month before the start of the 2025-26 season, Illinois women’s basketball coach Shauna Green will be be working at a familiar building: her home court, State Farm Center.
But there will be no balls or refs or baskets within sight. Just a stage … and a microphone.
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Green, the person responsible for revitalizing the Illinois program, is one of the featured speakers at the upcoming 5 Things event. Called the “Women in Sports Special Edition,” the show is set for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 18. Tickets, which cost $76.54, are available at the 5 Things website (5things.net).
The building holds more than 16,000 for basketball games, so it has room.
Some of the suites in the arena are available for purchase and seat 16. Organizers suggested the opportunity for complementary companies to go in together on a suite.
The show runs about three hours, which includes time for a break.
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Announced speakers include Green, Illinois softball coach Tyra Perry and assistant volleyball assistant Jen Tamas. Others will be announced closer to the date.
The local 5 Things is the brainchild of area attorney Brooke Starks and financial advisor Carrie Eisenmenger.
The longtime pals started 5 Things in 2018 and have held two or three events every year since. This will be the 16th edition.
They were both quick to praise Jennifer Watson, who helps the organization with marketing. Her business is Jen Watson Consulting.
At their most recent event in February they hinted about what might happen next.
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Stephanie Seay of Heartland Coca-Cola, a longtime supporter of 5 Things, wanted to be a part of it as sponsor.
The move to the State Farm Center is a change for 5 Things, which had been held in smaller venues in the past.
“It’s a similar concept, similar format, but on a much grander scale with a different audience we hope,” Starks said.
The September show is a cooperative effort between 5 Things and the University of Illinois athletic department.
Sarah Burton, the UI chief sports officer and senior woman administrator, is a fan of the 5 Things program.
How did the relationship between 5 Things and UI athletics develop?
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“I think we have to credit Sara Burton and athletics,” Starks said. “Sara and a small group attended one of 5 Things events.”
“We had a great time,” Burton said.
The conversation between the two groups grew from there.
“It was ‘How can we create more opportunities to do things together?'” Starks said. “We’re looking at women’s athletics at the university and our audience of women in business who are motivated to make connections and network and promote other women. How we can marry those two things together and do some good work in the community?”
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“We always talk in corporate in America, we need women supporting women,” Eisenmenger said. “That’s the whole concept. We’re kind of fighting the same battles and we’re looking for the same opportunities.”
Entering her ninth year on the Illinois staff, Burton has watched the rise of the women’s basketball program under former University of Dayton coach Green.
“We’ve seen our crowds grow significantly with Shauna’s leadership and what our team has done,” Burton said. “And we also look at a lot of peer programs in the conference. We still have some work to do to catch up to those crowds. We want to continue to find ways to network and build that community.”
The UI athletics executive team liked the idea of collaboration with 5 Things.
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“It’s a a remarkable experience for women in this community to be a part of and I think it’s transformative in nature,” Burton said.
When it came time to pick the venue, multiple options were considered before State Farm Center became the choice.
“We don’t need all of State Farm to make this a successful event, but we can make it an intimate event in that space and utilize some things that we felt would be mutually beneficial,” Burton said.
Such as …
“Some of the suites for the 5 Things sponsors,” she said. “But also it provides a great stage and one of the venues we ultimately want people to return back to on the women’s side. That’s our focus.”
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The Traditions Club space and seats in front of that will serve as the venue.
The crowd will dictate how much space is needed.
“If it’s 200 people or 2,000 people that’s a success,” Burton said.
Is it a one-time appearance at the center? To be determined.
“I think we’re all curious to see what happens,” Starks said. “I think we are optimistic about where this goes again because of the overlap in our communities.”
If you go
The September event will stay with the general format of 5 Things, which means five speakers, who each provide five tangible takeaways.
“We want them to drop some advice on us that we can implement tomorrow,” Starks said.
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There is food and drinks, time to socialize and network.
“We want people to create connections,” Starks said. “That is the spirit of of 5 Things.”
For the upcoming edition, the speakers are the largest draw.
Eisenmenger said 5 Things wants the speakers to “come as themselves.
“We try to strip away the title.”
The audience will see the speakers outside their usual work environments, off the field or court.
“There’s less formality to this,” Burton said.
Green, who is always adept with the media, is a natural for 5 Things.
“She’s one of the most authentic women I know,” Burton said. “She’ll be very comfortable showing up as herself.”
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Filling a need
That’s what Eisenmenger and Starks are trying to do with 5 Things.
“You can show up differently when you’re surrounded by a group of people who are thinking about the same things, dealing with some of the same battles, wear all the same hats,” she said. “It doesn’t feel like there’s a competition between the women’s groups that we have in our community. I think the women of Champaign County show up and support one another.”
“I don’t think there’s been a saturation of this type of information in the area or in the country,” Starks said. “It’s hot. And when we blend it with what’s happening with women’s athletics, not just throughout the country but around the globe, there’s a renewed interest in propelling women’s issues forward. It’s never been a better time for women, yet there’s still work to do.”
