One of the more underrated wings in Illinois’ 2026 class, Evan Blankenship, has made his college commitment on Friday. The 6’5” wing of Batavia High School and Mercury Elite announced his decision to attend Illinois Wesleyan University.

“I love the environment,” Blankenship said about why he selected Illinois Wesleyan University. There were factors both on and off the court that came into the decision. He added in, “The coaching staff really values player development, accountability, and winning the right way. They also offer strong academics which was important to me.”

The commitment comes after Blankenship visited the Bloomington, Illinois campus back in the middle of October. When asked about his visit, he said “It just felt like home right when I stepped on campus. The facilities and team were amazing.”

Right now in his senior season at Batavia, he is averaging 12.1 points and 6 rebounds per game. This past year on the NY2LA Association with Mercury Elite, the wing averaged 11.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1 steal per game. He only got better throughout the season averaging 16.5 points in July at the NY2LA Final Chapter tournament. “I see my game fitting in with my ability to score from three levels, rebounding, and defend with high energy.” As well to these tools, Blankenship is a lengthy and athletic wing with some size in addition to his outside shooting ability.