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Key Illinois Target and Top-10 2026 Recruit Schedules Visit With Big Ten Foe
Feb 5, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Key Illinois Target and Top-10 2026 Recruit Schedules Visit With Big Ten Foe

Originally posted on Illinois Fighting Illini on SI
By Jackson Langendorf  |  Last updated Jul 31, 2025 3:16 PM ET

Although the commitment of 2026 guard Ethan Brown to Illinois was an important initial salvo, Illinois coach Brad Underwood and his crew have yet to break out the big guns in the battle for 2026 talent. Landing five-star recruit Dylan Mingo would make for an explosive follow-up – but that task will be easier said than done.

Both Illinois and Mingo, a 6-foot-5 guard from New York, have been attempting to schedule a visit to Champaign, but thus far to no avail. Meanwhile, a rival Big Ten squad – Washington – appears to have pulled off what the Illini (and the rest of the country) have yet to do.

According to On3's Joe Tipton, Mingo is set to take an official visit to UW's Seattle campus this weekend. Despite the Huskies' 13-18 campaign last season – which included an abysmal 4-16 Big Ten record – Washington is moving in the right direction.

Second-year coach Danny Sprinkle built the 13th-best transfer class in the country during this offseason, according to 247Sports. The Huskies brought in notable pieces headlined by a pair of USC transfer guards in Desmond Claude and Wesley Yates III, along with two other impactful Big Ten transfers in Lathan Sommerville and Bryson Tucker, as well as the reigning ASUN Player of the Year, Jacob Ognacevic.

All signs point to the Huskies flexing the most deadly recruiting combination in college sports: a top-notch coaching staff and a healthy NIL budget. And the fact that Sprinkle and the Huskies managed to be the first to welcome Mingo on to their program's campus only supports that narrative.

Still, the Illini (and a number of other schools) have something the Huskies don’t: proven success. Illinois has won 20-plus games in six straight seasons. Over that same time period, Washington didn’t surpass the 20-win mark once. Whether or not the Illini coax Mingo to Champaign for a visit, let alone land the wildly talented guard remains to be seen. But one thing seems certain: Illinois isn't yet out of the race.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

ESPN Names Top Ten National Title Contenders: Did Illinois Hoops Make the Cut?

The One Reason Illinois Basketball Falls Just Short of Powerhouse Status

Illinois Soars Up 2026 Recruiting Rankings After Ethan Brown Commitment

This article first appeared on Illinois Fighting Illini on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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