The Illinois women's basketball program is making waves in Florida recruiting once again, as head coach Shauna Green continues to tap into the Sunshine State's deep talent pool. The Illini extended an offer to three-star guard Kaelin Thomas on Tuesday, adding her name to a growing list of high-level prospects from Florida who have caught the program's attention.

Thomas, a Class of 2028 standout, is coming off an impressive sophomore season at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Unlike some recent Illini recruits who came from prep academies like IMG Academy or Montverde Academy, Thomas has built her reputation at a traditional high school powerhouse. Listed at 5-foot-10 to 6 feet tall on various recruiting services, she averaged an impressive 18.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 2.5 steals per game this past season.

The rising star truly shined on the biggest stage, leading the Raiders to their fifth state championship in six years with a commanding 65-22 victory over Palm Bay Bayside in the FHSAA Class 6A state title game on March 14. Thomas delivered a game-high 18 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting, including three three-pointers, while also contributing four rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.

Illinois joins an impressive list of 12 schools that have already offered Thomas, including Florida, Florida State, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, George Mason, Miami, Murray State, Penn State, Texas A&M, and UCF. As Green enters her fifth season in Champaign, the Illini's continued pursuit of Florida talent signals their commitment to building a competitive program through diverse recruiting pipelines.