Jan. 31, 2005

Urbana, Ill. - The Fighting Illini will have a new look this season, but will field another talented squad that seems primed to make another run through the NCAA Tournament.

Last year Illinois graduated its first group of seniors and had its most successful season, advancing all the way to the NCAA Sweet 16, placing second in the Big Ten, and reaching the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament.

Despite the graduation of nine seniors, there are several big guns from last year that do return. Add a top-rate signing class, and the Illini have justified optimism heading into the 2005 season.

PITCHING

Illinois must replace its top two starters from a year ago. Amanda Fortune and Sherri Taylor combined to throw all but 38 innings a year ago.

Junior Jackelyn Diekemper (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North High School) is the top returner. Diekemper was a big reason for the Illini's advancement to the semifinals at the prestigious Kia Classic. In the next to last day of the tournament, she came in relief to secure the victory over nationally-ranked Arizona State, then picked up the victory over another highly regarded club, DePaul. Diekemper has a perfect 7-0 record for her career, but logged just 13 innings last season.

The junior had some great experience, however, over the summer, helping the Peoria Outlaws to the Under 23 National title and received Second Team All-America accolades.

Sophomore Mary Miller (Toledo, Wash./ Toledo H.S.) should get an opportunity to figure in the mix. Pitching behind Taylor and Fortune, Miller did not get a chance to throw in varsity action a year ago, but completed an impressive high school career in the state of Washington, posting a school-record 307 strikeouts in leading Toledo to the state title.

Freshman Claire DeVreese (Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka H.S.) could be Illinois' most dominating hurler this year. DeVreese has a strong arm as her 0.19 ERA in 2003 indicates. DeVreese tied the Indiana state high school record for strikeouts in one game with 26 and earned First Team All-State honors.

CATCHING

Senior Julie Balicki (Lockport, Ill/Lockport H.S.), who earned the team's Coaches Award, has been waiting patiently for her opportunity to move into the starting catching position. All-Big Ten performer Janna Sartini has been the Illini's starter the past four seasons.

When Balicki has been given the opportunity, she has come through, batting .317 for her career, including .357 last season. Balicki delivered the game-winning double in a 3-2 victory over Southern Illinois.

Sophomore Brittany Koester (Chatham, Ill./Glenwood H.S.) likewise played behind Sartini, and will get an opportunity to see some time behind the plate in 2004.

Junior, Leigh Farina (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central H.S./Kankakee Community College) may be a bat difficult to keep out of the line-up if her numbers at KCC are any indication. All Farina did was set school records for career home runs (30), hits (166), doubles (43) and RBI (129) en route to first team NJCAA Division II All-America honors.

INFIELD

The infield will look a lot different this year with the graduation of slick fielders Erin Jones (third base), Lindsey Hamma (shortstop) and Katie O'Connell (second base).

The best pure hitter in Illinois' short history does return, however, in junior first baseman Jenna Hall (Channahon, Ill./Minooka H.S.). Hall has exploded on the Big Ten scene with back-to-back first team All-Conference accolades. Hall is batting .317 with 11 home runs, 61 RBI, and a slugging percentage of .473 for her career.

Hall has been as equally as important in the field. A converted third baseman, few if any first baseman in the country can match her range and arm. She has just six errors in two seasons with a school record .993 fielding percentage.

Another natural first baseman Kisten Martin (Vienna/Vienna H.S.) had a solid freshman season, starting 15 games at designated player. Martin posted 10 hits, two for doubles.

After spending two years in the outfield, junior Rachelle Coriddi (Fort Worth, Texas/ Southwest H.S.) will return to her natural position of middle infield, likely at shortstop. Coriddi and freshman second baseman Angelena Mexicano (San Jose, Calif./Mt. Pleasant H.S.) did switch positions some in the fall.

Coriddi has shown great range in center field over the past two seasons and, along with LeeAnn Butcher (Casey, Ill./Casey-Westfield H.S.), have been two of the top slap hitters in the conference. Coriddi has 42 stolen bases and a .342 career batting average.

While Coriddi will likely play shortstop this year, a pair of newcomers round out the new look Illini infield. Mexicano's athleticism and instinct have been evident throughout the fall in her fielding. Mexicano was her high school's Athlete of the Year in her class four straight years and was named Senior of the Year overall in California's Blossom Valley Athletic League while batting .378 with five doubles, three home runs and 22 RBI during the summer session.

Local product Shanna Diller (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community H.S.) gives Illinois a multi-dimension player at the hot corner. Diller brings perhaps more winning experience than any member of the Illini. The freshman was a standout for both Normal's volleyball and softball teams that advanced to the State Tournament multiple times. During her freshman year, the Ironmen won the state title in softball. In the summer of the 2004, Diller played for the Southern Force, who became the first Midwestern team to win the ASA U18 Gold National title.

OUTFIELD

With Coriddi moving to the infield, Butcher moves to center field. The 2002 First Team All-Big Ten selection has worked a lot on becoming even tougher to throw out. The bunt-slapper hit .338 last season and is a .310 career hitter. That average could go even higher judging from her performances in the fall. Once on the bases, she has proven tough to stuff, having stolen 17 bases in 19 attempts a year ago. Defensively, Butcher has made great strides and gets tremendous jumps on the ball, attributes that will be valuable with her role in center. The senior played there during the end of last season with Coriddi out after having an appendectomy.

Senior Elene Planinsek (Rockdale, Ill./Joliet H.S.), a spot starter throughout all three years, will figure again and this time likely in a greater role in the Illinois order. Last year Planinsek had nearly double the at-bats (70) as she had in her first two season. She hit .257 with a triple and five RBI a year ago. Planinsek compete to be the Illini's designated player if she doesn't get the start in the outfield.

The left and right field spots were hard-fought in the fall with sophomore Molly Lawhead (Monticello, Ill./Monticello H.S. ) getting the start in right field this fall and freshmen Sarah Bryers (Bloomingdale, Ill./ Glenbard North H.S.) and Makenzie Smith (Lancaster, Pa./Desert Christian H.S.) getting the majority of the time there.

Lawhead has as hard of a throwing arm as anyone on the team, according to the coaching staff, and shown prowess on the base paths as one of the Illini's leading pinch runners as a freshman. She had two doubles and four stolen bases to go along with 21 at-bats a year ago.

In addition to her success at Glenbard North, Bryers had the privilege of playing for the Chicago White Sox Academy. Bryers is a three-time all-DuPage Valley Conference and two-time All-State infielder and batted .398 during the summer with the White Sox.

Smith will also get a shot at starting some games in the outfield. As a senior in high school, Smith batted a robust .681 with 39 runs scored, five triples, 35 RBI, and 47 stolen bases good for a slugging percentage of 1.157, tops on the area.

Junior Laura Zobrist (Washington, Ill./ Washington H.S.), a natural outfielder, has proven she can handle a bat as well as her duties as the Illini's top running threat that she has had the past two seasons where she has eight stolen bases. She will battle for time in the outfield as well.

Rounding out a talented freshman class is Katie Gaitros (Pekin, Ill./Pekin H.S.), who takes over graduating senior Lauren Gronski's role as utility player. Gaitros played third base, shortstop, and outfield in a stellar prep career that included four All-Mid State Conference honorees.

OVERVIEW

Over the past four years Illinois has established a program to be reckoned with both on the conference and national level. As the Illini move forward following the graduation of their first class, the bar has been raised. Head Coach Terri Sullivan continues to attract even more talented recruiting classes.

The success of the 2005 squad will hinge on how newcomers or players seeing their first significant game experience respond to another competitive schedule. Virtually all the players on this year's roster have played major roles on winning prep programs, so they have the "intangibles" capable of doing the same in college.