Chicago, Ill. Illinois Tech women's basketball is entering the 2026–27 season with a fresh energy that comes from youth, depth, and an eagerness to compete. A large group of newcomers has changed the feel of practice, and head coach Carissa Sain has leaned into the excitement and learning curve that comes with it.

"It's been really fun to have so many new faces in the gym," Sain said. "There's an inherent excitement with everything we get to do because everything is new to them all the time." The team's competitive spirit has been clear early, and Sain is focused on channeling that into daily improvement. "They're a fun group of kids who like to compete," she said. "The challenge and the fun of coaching is fostering both sides of that equation."

That energy has carried into preseason practices, which Sain described as lively and purposeful. The team's youth brings questions about consistency, but the early signs are promising. "The pace of practice has been a lot higher since we started, even with those couple practices in August," she said. The increased tempo is one of several changes Sain expects to define the team's identity this year.

Rebounding and Pace Lead the Way

Sain believes the team's size and willingness to be physical could turn  into a strength. "We have so much more height, and we have kids that are really willing to be physical and get after it," she said. "That's been a renewed strength for us." Rebounding has been a point of emphasis in practice, and Sain is optimistic the improvement will show up early.

Depth is also allowing Illinois Tech to play faster. "We have more bodies who can play at the speed and intensity we want to," Sain said. The result is an uptick in tempo and a more aggressive approach in transition. With additional options in the rotation, the Scarlet Hawks can push the pace without sacrificing defensive effort or execution.

Sain is cautious not to label anything a finished product, but she's encouraged by the team's commitment. "We'll be anxious to see if they prove us right or prove us wrong," she said. The first few games will provide a useful measuring stick for how the team's strengths translate from practice to competition.

Early Tests and a Familiar Conference Road

Illinois Tech opens the season with three nonconference games against Beloit, North Park and Blackburn, 2 of which it faced last year, providing an immediate chance to measure growth. "It's kind of fun to have a sense of how those games went a year ago and be able to retool some things for this year's team," Sain said. The early matchups are less about records and more about learning who this group can become. "It really is a process over the course of the whole season," she said. "It's about the process of doing everything we can to secure a win."

That process mindset is central to how Sain wants her players to approach each day. "You have to have the intent to go 1–0 every day," she said. "Even if that doesn't become the result, it has to be the intent." The message is simple: stack good days, and the results will follow. The team's first league game against Rockford arrives quickly, but Sain is keeping the focus on daily habits that lead to long-term success.

A Texas Homecoming and Team Chemistry

With seven players from Texas, a winter road trip to the Lone Star State is one of the season's highlights. "I'm super excited we were able to pull that off," Sain said. "So many of their families will be able to be there, and that will be a really neat environment." Illinois Tech will face opponents it has never played in Belhaven and McMurry, giving the trip a sense of adventure and opportunity.

Beyond the games, Sain sees the travel as a key moment for team chemistry. "Travel is huge in terms of their togetherness," she said. "It's just a neat opportunity to go play in front of the hometown crowd and enjoy some time together." The trip reflects the program's broader emphasis on connection—on and off the court—as a foundation for growth.

Fitting the Pieces Together

One of Sain's most intriguing challenges is figuring out how the eight newcomers fit with the returners. "No one is the same player, including our twins," she said. "We have a lot of different weapons and a lot of different ways we can rearrange the pieces." The variety gives Illinois Tech flexibility in lineups and playing styles, but it also means the staff is experimenting daily to find the right combinations.

Sain sees it as a good problem to have. "They all bring some very good individual skills, and we're just trying to put each of them in a position to have success for us as a unit," she said. That process will continue into the season, with the early games serving as a laboratory for growth and cohesion.

A Senior-Focused Mission

While the team's youth is a defining feature, Sain's looks to her seniors to define success. "Nothing would make me happier as a coach than for them to achieve their goals," she said. The seniors have clear ambitions, and Sain wants to help them finish their careers on a high note. "They have very specific winning goals," she said. "I want them to have a great senior year and lead a group that cements their legacy."

The team's core values—program over self, going 1–0, and winning—are woven into everything it does. "Those three things are all the same thing," Sain said. The goal is to live out that standard every day, one possession and one practice at a time. If Illinois Tech can do that, the season will be defined not just by results but by the habits and relationships that make winning possible."