Memorial Stadium sees highest attendance since 2010 in opener vs. Tol…

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — History was made on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Fighting Illini defeated the Toledo Rockets, and they did so in front of the largest crowd in over a decade.

Nearly 49,000 people were packed into the stadium for the Illini season opener. The last time the stadium saw such attendance was in 2010.

“I can believe it, after last year with their stand-out season,” Ethan Lehman said. “It’s grown up or expanded so much in the past few years I feel. I feel more a part of it and, I don’t know, I focus more on the football now.”

The single-game attendance mark was not the only record broken. An unprecedented amount of new season ticket holders were brought into the fold too — almost 15,000 of them.

With 8 wins and 5 losses in 2022, the team is looking to improve their record this year alongside their refreshed fanbase.