CHAMPAIGN — The Illinois volleyball program always intrigued Jen Tamas.
She knew Kevin Hambly, having played for him in the USA Volleyball system when she was younger. Subsequent matches against the Illini as part of the Nebraska coaching staff further reinforced that notion.
Something just stood out about Illinois.
"When we played against Illinois, I would look at the team and think, 'That would be a really cool team to work with, to be a part of a program that I think Chris would do well at,' " Jen Tamas said.
That was before Hambly left Illinois after eight seasons as head coach and 13 total with the program to take the Stanford job in late January.