HR0255 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0255 LRB094 11880 HSS 44324 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois wish to congratulate the University of Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team on advancing to the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Final Four and making the school's first appearance in the National Championship game in the program's 100-year history; and

WHEREAS, The Illini advanced to the Finals by defeating Fairleigh Dickinson University, the University of Nevada, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the University of Arizona, and the University of Louisville in the NCAA's 64-team tournament; and

WHEREAS, The head coach of the Fighting Illini is second year coach Bruce Weber; he became the first University of Illinois Men's Basketball head coach to advance to the Finals of the National Championship, and he was named the 2004-05 Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year, the 2004-05 Big Ten Coach of the Year, the 2005 Henry Iba Award winner, and the 2005 Associated Press Coach of the Year; and

WHEREAS, The team members of the Fighting Illini are junior Marcus Arnold of Chicago; junior James Augustine of Mokena; freshman Calvin Brock of Chicago; junior Dee Brown of Maywood; sophomore Warren Carter of Dallas, Texas; senior Luther Head of Chicago; senior Jack Ingram of San Antonio, Texas; sophomore Rich McBride of Springfield; senior Fred Nkemdi of North Riverside; senior Roger Powell, Jr., of Joliet; freshman Shaun Pruitt of Aurora; sophomore Brian Randle of Peoria; senior Nick Smith of Valrico, Florida; and junior Deron Williams of The Colony, Texas; and

WHEREAS, The coaches of the Fighting Illini are Head Coach Bruce Weber, and Assistant Coaches Wayne McCLain, Jay Price, Tracy Webster, and Gary Nottingham; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the team members and coaches of the Fighting Illini basketball team on providing the University of Illinois with its first appearance in the NCAA National Championship game; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to each of the coaches and members of the Fighting Illini as a token of our respect and esteem and with our best wishes for future success.