Home US SportsNCAAW Kendall Bostic is back, now rebounding for Illini alumni

Kendall Bostic is back, now rebounding for Illini alumni

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Kendall Bostic, a cornerstone of Illinois women’s basketball’s revival, has officially joined the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics as assistant director of development for Varsity I.

Bostic wasn’t just a standout on the court. She embodied the qualities of a community-minded leader and is now bringing that same mindset to the Illinois athletic department to build connections between generations of Illini athletes like her.

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After spending her freshman season at Michigan State, Bostic transferred to Illinois and made an immediate impact. Starting all 125 games of her Illini career, she led the Big Ten in rebounds per game in each of her four seasons.

She finished as the program’s all-time leader in rebounds (1,352) and double-doubles (54), and became just the fourth player in Illinois history to record both 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in her career.

Her accolades were equally impressive. Bostic won the 2023 Illinois Female Spirit Award, earned the 2024 Big Ten Medal of Honor and was named first-team All-Big Ten in her final season.

She was an all-conference selection in each of her four seasons with Illinois, earned a spot on the WBIT All-Tournament Team and helped lead the Illini to two NCAA Tournament appearances and a WBIT championship in 2024.

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“She gets up early to get to student teaching and then comes straight to Ubben for practice,” said Illinois head coach Shauna Green. “She also has to get extra shots up, recovery, rehab, lifting, etc. She carries a heavy load, and she does it with such grace.”

Although she accomplished a great deal as an Illini star, Bostic’s legacy extends well beyond the stat sheet. She earned a bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing science in 2023 and a master’s degree in special education in 2025, all while balancing the demands of Division I basketball and student teaching.

“When you have a passion for teaching and a passion for basketball, you find a way to make it all happen. That is what KB does,” Green said. “It is a testament to who she is as a person. It has been an absolute honor to coach her and watch her excel on and off the floor.”

Amber Ray, an associate professor in the Department of Special Education, praised Bostic’s commitment:

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“Kendall’s really engaged in the community,” Ray said. “I learned about her basketball camp this spring, and I thought, how amazing. How are you doing this on top of everything else?”

“But I think that shows her genuine commitment to the community and how she’s passionate about sports, helping young women see themselves as athletes, and mentoring. I think it’s really cool.”

Bostic’s driven, community-focused attitude will fit right in with her new chapter at Varsity I, a network that connects Illinois letterwinners, coaches and staff with current student-athletes.

With connections all across campus, Bostic will lead community outreach, organize alumni events and strengthen the ties between different generations of Illini athletes.

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“I am extremely excited to get to work with and serve all the student-athletes and alumni who have represented the Fighting Illini,” Bostic said. “As a former student-athlete myself, I understand how important it is to have people in your corner, especially those who have been in our shoes.”

“She will be an incredible ambassador for the Orange and Blue, and she will help strengthen our famILLy by building meaningful connections with Fighting Illini student-athletes past, present and future,” Director of Athletics Josh Whitman said.

Bostic’s career was defined by consistency and shaped by change. In the shifting landscape of collegiate athletics, where we see as many transfers as new NIL deals, she chose loyalty.

Hall of Fame coach Nancy Fahey announced her retirement on March 4, 2022, giving Bostic the opportunity to transfer again.

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But Bostic liked the university, loved her speech and hearing sciences program, and was already familiar with incoming head coach Shauna Green, who had recruited her as a high school player.

She left the door at Illinois open, and in doing so, she helped transform the future of Illinois women’s basketball.

Now with two Illinois degrees and an impressive, program-defining collegiate career, Bostic is already giving back through student teaching, community camps and alumni outreach, aligning with the responsibilities of her new role with Varsity I.

Bostic may be done grabbing rebounds, but she’s still doing the work that holds a team together. She helped rebuild the program and is now turning that leadership toward alumni connections. Her impact on Illini Athletics proves that some players never really leave the court. In her new role, Bostic is finding a new way to lead and making sure the Illini connection doesn’t end at graduation.

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