Sport: Basketball Category: Scores & Results

Sean Rice commits to Illinois after impressive senior season

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 7, 2026, 12:44 AM

Last updated Jul 7, 2026

Sean Rice commits to Illinois after impressive senior season

Summary

Sean Rice, a linebacker from St. Laurence, committed to the University of Illinois. The three-star recruit's stock surged after he switched from defensive end and tallied 138 tackles and five interceptions last season. Illinois was among 14 offers, including Indiana and Wisconsin. Rice highlighted his connections with coach Archie McDaniel and head coach Bret Bielema as significant factors in his decision. This followed a strong performance in a game against Evanston, which Rice credits for boosting his confidence in pursuing a collegiate football career.

Source Links

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By the Numbers

•Rice was a linebacker at St. Laurence with 138 tackles last season.
•He received offers from 14 schools before committing to Illinois.
•Rice built strong relationships with the coaching staff at Illinois.
•He transitioned from defensive end to linebacker last fall.

Latest Updates

12:44 AMYahoo Sports — St. Laurence’s Sean Rice goes from mid-major prospect to picking Illinois for football: ‘It was a big shift’

What they're saying

"
Seemingly in the blink of an eye, St. Laurence’s Sean Rice saw his recruiting take off. Rice, a linebacker heading into his senior year, quickly went from mid-major prospect to being highly sought after by Power Four programs. The process ended with Rice choosing to stay home as he recently committed to Illinois. “It’s really cool I’m going to play for my home state,” Rice said. “I’m really ...
— Yahoo Sports

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