Wallace Named Preseason All-Big Ten by Coaches and Media
October 1, 2026 | Women's Basketball
News
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois junior forward Berry Wallace was named to the 2026-27 preseason All-Big Ten team by both the conference's head coaches and media, the league office announced Thursday (Oct. 1). Wallace is one of 10 players selected to the preseason team.
The 6-foot-1 forward from Pickerington, Ohio, is coming off a breakout sophomore season in which she started all 34 games and averaged 18.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.4 blocks. She shot 47.2% from the field, 34.7% from 3-point range, and 86.5% from the free-throw line.
Wallace's scoring average ranked seventh in the Big Ten. She posted a team-best 16 games of 20 or more points, fifth-most in the conference and among the top 25 in Division I. Her 626 points rank sixth on Illinois' single-season scoring list. She scored a career-high 29 points in a win over Northwestern.
Wallace helped lead Illinois to a 22-12 record and its third NCAA tournament berth in four seasons. She had 18 points and six rebounds in the Illini's first-round win over Colorado as Illinois advanced to the second round for the second straight year.
Wallace was a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection by conference coaches and a second-team pick by the media in 2025-26. She became the 19th player in program history to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors and the first Illinois sophomore to do so since 2007-08. She also earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition and was named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll three times (Nov. 10, Jan. 5, and Jan. 19).
2026-27 Big Ten Women's Basketball Preseason Honors
2026-27 Coaches Preseason All-Big Ten Team
- Berry Wallace, Jr., F, Illinois
- Ava Heiden, Jr., C, Iowa
- Oluchi Okananwa, Sr., G, Maryland
- OLIVIA OLSON, JR., G, MICHIGAN
- Syla Swords, Jr., G, Michigan
- Britt Prince, Jr., G, Nebraska
- Jaloni Cambridge, Jr., G, Ohio State
- Jazzy Davidson, So., G, USC
- JUJU WATKINS, SR., G, USC
- Sayvia Sellers, Jr., G, Washington
2026-27 Coaches Preseason Player of the Year
JuJu Watkins, Sr., G, USC
2026-27 Media Preseason All-Big Ten Team
- Berry Wallace, Jr., F, Illinois
- Ava Heiden, Jr., C, Iowa
- Oluchi Okananwa, Sr., G, Maryland
- OLIVIA OLSON, JR., G, MICHIGAN
- Syla Swords, Jr., G, Michigan
- Britt Prince, Jr., G, Nebraska
- JALONI CAMBRIDGE, JR., G, OHIO STATE
- Jazzy Davidson, So., G, USC
- JuJu Watkins, Sr., G, USC
- Sayvia Sellers, Jr., G, Washington
2026-27 Media Preseason Player of the Year
JuJu Watkins, Sr., G, USC
Unanimous selections listed in ALL CAPS
