‘I’m just really excited’: 8-year-old girl traveling from Sidney to Nashville to sing before Illini game

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A third grader from Unity East Elementary in Sidney is no stranger to performing in front of thousands.

On Monday morning, Reagan Schluter did it again when singing the national anthem ahead of the Illinois Women's Basketball game.

"I was really excited," Reagan said.

However, her singing career dates back to 2020, when she was just three years old.

"My dad was a tractor pull announcer, so I just traveled with him," she said. "I heard the national anthem, and I really wanted to start doing that."

Reagan's singing journey started at Gordyville USA in Gifford. Since then, she has built up quite the resume and has also performed at the State Fair, county fairs and the State Farm Center.

"I'm really focused, and I say in my head, 'you got this,'" she said.

Reagan said she never gets nervous, but it's a different story for her parents.

"My wife and I were nervous," said her dad, Leroy Schluter. "My heart was beating out of my chest."

The father-daughter duo love the Illini and haven't missed a home women's basketball game the last several years.

"She knows all the players, most of the players know her," Leroy said.

After she finished singing on Monday, he said Coach Green gave her a high five and the players gave her a shoutout.

Despite this, one of her biggest performances has still yet to come. In a few weeks, they're following the team to Nashville, where she will sing the national anthem before the basketball game.

"I'm just really excited and it makes me happy to hear that they're wanting me to sing," Reagan said.

She said her dream is to perform somewhere warm like Florida. 13,486 fans went to Monday's game, which is the third-largest crowd in program history.