On the heels of Illinois State football’s trip to the Football Championship Subdivision title game, the athletics department has announced a $2.5 million gift to the football program.

The union that represents hockey players on the Bloomington Bison and other ECHL teams said it plans to go on strike starting Friday, alleging the league violated federal labor law during contract negotiations. The ECHL says players will lose their housing, medical benefits and pay if they do.

The Redbirds will next face Montana State in the FCS national championship game Jan. 5 in Nashville. Coach Brock Spack said Saturday's win is a real "shot in the arm" for the ISU Athletics program.

The Redbirds — who were unseeded in these playoffs — are the first FCS team ever to win four straight road playoff games. They'll face Montana State in the national championship game Jan. 5 in Nashville.

The union representing players for the Bloomington Bison and other ECHL hockey teams have voted to authorize a strike after negotiating for months on a new contract.

Family and friends enjoyed spending the weekend in the Philadelphia area as Illinois State football prepares to face Villanova in the FCS playoffs.

Gov. JB Pritzker called the team’s latest shift in its stadium focus “a startling slap in the face.”

What happens when your toughest coach is also your dad? Illinois State defensive coordinator Travis Niekamp is pushing sons Tye and Dexter — and the Redbirds — to the brink of the national championship game.

For nearly 30 years, Eric “Coach E” Ewald has shaped Lincoln basketball from the background — building confidence, refining an offense and quietly making players better people. Now, the longtime Railers assistant is stepping into the spotlight as an inductee of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

The change adds 16 schools to the brackets of each of the eight classes, determined by student enrollment, that make up the IHSA Football Championships.

The Redbirds will bring an eight-game road winning streak against FCS opponents to Villanova Stadium in Philadelphia against a Wildcat team that’s won an FCS-record 23 consecutive home games.

Illinois State University basketball legend Doug Collins will now be forever linked to a part of campus that helped transform him into an All-American and — ultimately — a basketball Hall of Famer.