Oct. 28, 2004

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Former Illinois infielder Chris Basak and current Illini assistant coach Eric Snider were honored by being named to the Northwoods League's All-Decade Team. The squad commemorates the top performers in the league's first ten years of existence and was chosen by team officials, coaches, official scorers and selected media.

The Northwoods League is an SCBA sanctioned summer baseball league comprised of teams of the top college players from the Midwest and across the nation.

Basak batted .316 and had a .427 on-base percentage for St. Cloud in 1998. In 1999, he hit .362 with 35 stolen bases, 88 hits - the fourth-most all-time in the NWL - and 60 runs scored - third-most all-time. At Illinois, Basak hit .329 in 2000, his senior season, while scoring a team-high 57 runs and swiping a team-best 22 bases. He was named to the second team All-Big Ten squad in 2000, and ranks 14th on the Illinois career batting list with a .347 mark. Basak is currently in the New York Mets organization. In 2004 he split time between AAA Norfolk and AA Binghamton.

Snider was named to the All-Decade team as a coach for recruiting and leading some of the best teams in NWL history. In fact, Snider coached six of the 26 All-Decade team members as leader of the Waterloo squad from 1995-98. He led Waterloo to its best record (40-20) and an NWL championship in 1996. He also coached Waterloo to a 46-17 mark in 1998, the highest winning percentage in NWL history.

Snider will be in his seventh year as an assistant at Illinois in 2005. He assists with hitting instruction, works with the infield and outfield, and directs the Illini's off-season conditioning program for the entire team. He is also responsible for placing Illinois players in summer leagues across the country.