Let’s be clear: The Chicago Cubs winning their first World Series in 108 years was one of the top sports stories of 2016 — No. 1 on The Associated Press’ list. But what about memorable moments to come out of East Central Illinois in a calendar year that will close once the clock hits midnight Saturday? Here are our 10 selections:
1. Welcome to town
Josh Whitman lifted up the Illinois fan base first with the UI hiring him in mid-February as the school’s new athletic director. It helped matters, too, that the former Illinois tight end addressed fans early with a welcome letter that included the now-notable #WeWillWin hashtag (although the number of wins isn’t quite what UI supporters would like in the two major sports).