CHAMPAIGN, ILL. (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) – Former Notre Dame Juggler star and MVCC Hawks’ head coach Emily Durr and her University of Illinois Fighting Illini are set to begin their effort to win the Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship on Wednesday evening, playing the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the First Four at 7pm eastern in South Bend, Indiana.

Durr is in her first year serving as Director of Recruiting Operations and Illinois has gone 22-9 heading into Wednesday night’s game. If they can pull out a win the Illini will be the 11-seed in the NCAA Women’s Round of 64 and play 6-seed Creighton, the Bluejays 22-8 on the season in the Big East.