Illinois women’s basketball took a tough preseason hit when freshman Lana Brenjo was ruled out for the entire 2026-27 season with an ACL injury.
Brenjo, who signed with the Illini from overseas this past May, will now have to wait before making her debut in orange and blue. The Nevesinje, Bosnia, native was expected to add frontcourt depth right away behind Berry Wallace and Cearah Parchment, but that plan is off the table for now.
Fighting Illini freshman Lana Brenjo will miss the 2026-27 season. pic.twitter.com/sMSG5AGUSK
- Illinois Women's Basketball (@IlliniWBB) October 2, 2026
Before coming to Illinois, Brenjo played for Mega Superbet, a pro team in Belgrade, Serbia. In 24 games last season, she put up 7.2 points and 5.4 rebounds while playing 27.8 minutes per game.
At 6-foot-4, Brenjo had the kind of size and experience that could have made her a useful rotation piece from day one. Her game has been built around rebounding and work in the paint, where she used her frame and basketball IQ to make an impact overseas. She may not bring the same perimeter range as Wallace or Parchment, but she was viewed as a strong fit alongside Lety Vasconcelos when Illinois needed help on the glass.
The injury does complicate things for Shauna Green’s group, but the Illini do have ways to absorb the loss. Gretchen Dolan’s return adds wing depth, and Wallace and Parchment can stretch the floor enough to give Illinois some lineup flexibility.
Still, this is a real setback for a player Illinois was counting on in the frontcourt. Brenjo loses her first season before it ever gets started, and the program will be waiting a while longer to see what she can bring to the roster.
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