Illinois basketball star Terrence Shannon Jr. has been reinstated from his suspension after a federal judge granted his request for a temporary restraining order against the school.
Shannon sought an order from the school's board of trustees earlier this month to allow her to be reinstated from suspension following a rape charge last month.
The guard was granted a preliminary injunction by U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless, and the school confirmed that Shannon would rejoin the team “immediately.”
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Terrence Shannon Jr. of the Illinois Fighting Illini handles the ball during a game against the Maryland Terrapins at the Xfinity Center on December 2, 2022 in College Park, Maryland. (G. Fiume/Getty Images)
“Terrence Shannon Jr. will return to full status as a collegiate athlete and will be able to participate in basketball practices and games,” the school announced via 24/7 Sports. “We will continue to review the court order and monitor the case.”
“Plaintiffs have established that they have clearly ascertainable rights that require protection and that they have a reasonable likelihood of success on the merits,” Lawless wrote. “The court further found that plaintiffs lacked an adequate remedy at law and would suffer irreparable harm without an injunction.
“The potential harm to the plaintiffs outweighs the harm to the university. The public interest is not harmed by granting injunctive relief that allows for additional procedural safeguards while there is a presumption of innocence on criminal charges.” Because the plaintiff financially supports several family members, the court does not require the plaintiff to post a bond.”
Shannon's lawyers argued that the university rushed to judgment and failed to follow its procedures. Lawless said he was prohibited from suspending Shannon before granting him custody through the school's Office of Student Dispute Resolution.
Illinois State fights with Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. during a game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Food City Center on December 9, 2023 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Brian Lin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Douglas County prosecutors on Dec. 5 charged Shannon with alternative counts of rape or sexual assault. According to the complaint, the accuser was born in 2005. After a warrant for her arrest was issued, the state of Illinois on Dec. 28 suspended Shannon “immediately from all activities of her team.”
The alleged victim told police that Shannon pulled her towards him, put his hand under her skirt and had sexual contact with her. According to her affidavit, she stated that her room was so crowded that she “couldn't do anything.”
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Shannon transferred to Illinois from. Texas Tech University before the start of the 2021-22 season. He played in 11 games this season, averaging 21.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
The school said it had been aware of the allegations since September last year, but had “not yet received any actionable information” until December 27.
Illinois' Terrence Shannon Jr. passes during the first half of a game against Missouri State on Dec. 22, 2023 in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
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Shannon was named first team All-Big Ten last season.
He last played on Dec. 22, when he dropped 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Rivalry in Missouri's “Braggin' Lights''.
Illinois (13-4, 3-2), ranked No. 14 in the country, hosts Rutgers on Sunday. Shannon missed six games.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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