Nov. 8, 2006

Urbana, Ill. - Illinois head coach Terri Sullivan announced the signing of five players to the class of 2007. The talented class promises to bring strength to many positions. The class includes outfielder Hollie Pinchback (Katy, Texas/Cinco Ranch H.S.), infielder/outfielder,Danielle Zymkowitz (West Hills, Calif./Chaminade College Prep), catcher/utility player Ashley Conrad (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg H.S.) , infielder Audrey Gallien (Sunnyvale, Calif./Archbishop Mitty H.S.), and infielder/outfielder Danielle Vaji (Plano, Texas/H.S.) .

Head Coach Terri Sullivan on the class: "'Team Players' are the two words that come to mind immediately when our coaching staff thinks of our 2007 recruiting class. First, every one of them has tremendous versatility defensively. Second, they show unselfishness and `team first' attitudes when they play. Offensively, the class has a great balance of power and speed.

"Hollie, Danielle, Ashley, Audrey, and Danielle are competitors who love to play and win. They come from terrific families who will show great support of our program. We feel our 2007 class is as excited to put on an Illini uniform, as we are to see them in one. I am certain that each of these players is going to excel not only on the field, but also in the classroom and as members of The University of Illinois community."

Ashley Conrad, C-UT, 5-5, Orland Park, Ill., Sandburg H.S.

Ashley Conrad played a major role in Sandburg's third-place finish at the IHSA State Tournament in 2006. The appearance for Sandburg was its second straight, earning conference titles each of the past two seasons. Conrad was named an Underclassman All-Star by the Chicago Sun-Times. She also earned all-Southwest Suburban Conference and All-Area accolades playing for coach Jim Fabianski. In 2006, Conrad batted .331 with seven doubles, one home run and 14 RBI after batting .315 with four doubles, five RBI and nine stolen bases in 2005. She has played for the Orland Park A's and Beverly Bandits (coached by Bill Conroy). Conrad plans to major in business administration (management information systems).

Coach Sullivan on Conrad: " Ashley's athleticism and game smarts have allowed her coaches to move her where needed in their respective lineups. Ashley is a skilled catcher, infielder, and outfielder. She hits under pressure and runs well. Because of Ashley's family ties to Illinois, she truly understands what being a Fighting Illini represents. She will bring that understanding and passion to the field."

Audrey Gallien, 5-5, IF, San Jose, Calif., Archbishop Mitty H.S.

Audrey Gallien led Archbishop Mitty to the CCS Division II championship in 2005 and to the 2005 and 2006 Western Catholic Athletic League titles. The Monarchs were also ranked 10th in the state. Gallien was named a first team All-Area catcher by both the San Jose Mercury-News and the San Francisco Chronicle in 2006 and a First Team All-WCAL performer in 2005. Playing for coach Sarah Caudle, Gallien batted .370 with seven doubles, one home run and 19 RBI this season after batting .291 with three doubles, two triples, five home runs and 22 RBI in 2005. Gallien also played for the San Jose Strikkers (coached by Tom Sorci and Bill Sparrey). She plans to major in sociology.

Coach Sullivan on Gallien: "Audrey also is a player who has the kind of attitude a coach just loves. She is a team player, who like Ashley, has played various infield positions and caught. Audrey has an outstanding work ethic, and seems to excel anywhere she is asked to be in the lineup. We have seen her charge bunts at third exceptionally, and handle pitchers well behind the plate."

Hollie Pinchback, 5-4, OF, Katy, Texas, Cinco Ranch H.S.

Hollie Pinchback led Katy to back-to-back district titles while earning First Team All-District accolades. In 2005, she was named Second Team All-Greater Houston Area and captured her second straight Team MVP honor. Playing for coach Judy Whitlock, Pinchback hit .328 with four doubles, two triples, two home runs and 14 RBI after batting .486 with 10 doubles, three triples, three home runs, and 32 RBI in 2005. Pinchback played for the Houston Power (coached by John Glowacz). She plans to major in elementary education.

Coach Sullivan on Pinchback: "In softball there are swingers and there are hitters...Hollie is a flat out hitter. We are very excited about the offense she will add to our lineup as a lefty power hitter. Hollie loves the game and is a true competitor! She is coachable, hard working and serious about winning."

Danielle Vaji, 5-7, IF-OF, Plano, Tex. (H.S.)

Danielle Vaji is a three-sport athlete, having played volleyball, basketball, and softball in high school. In 2005, she led the district with a .505 batting average and added a double, seven RBI and 11 stolen bases. Vaji earned First Team All-District accolades, playing for coach Cynthia Zea. In club ball, she played for Wicked (coached by Mel Hall), and Glory (coached by Mark Vaji and Dan Adkins). She plans to major in advertising and graphic design.

Coach Sullivan on Vaji: "Speed must go with the name, because Danielle V. will be a threat on the bases. Her speed is deceiving and her ability to switch hit will bring a different dimension to our lineup. Danielle can make things happen, and is a quiet leader in the infield. Our coaching staff recognizes that she loves to play and is a worker."

Danielle Zymkowitz, 5-4, IF-OF, West Hills, Calif., Chaminade College Prep

Danielle Zymkowitz is a three-time Female Athlete of the Year recipient at Chaminade. The slap-hitting specialist was named First Team All-Mission League in 2005 and 2006 after earning second team honors as a freshman in 2004. As a junior, Zymkowitz added First All-Area honors from the Daily News and Second Team All-CIF accolades. Playing for coach John Elinghouse, she helped Chaminade to the Mission League and CIF championships. The team has qualified for the CIF playoffs each of her three seasons. Zymkowitz is a speed demon on the base paths with 29 stolen bases in 30 attempts while hitting .404 in 2006. She has been named a Scholar Athlete by the conference. Zymkowitz played for the Valley Breeze ASA Team (coached by Tom Sotelo), leading the team to nationals in 2004 and 2006, including a fourth-place finish in 2006. She has also played for the SoCal Diamonds (coached by Steve Poll), the SoCal Pumas (coached by John Norse) and SoCal Athletics (coached by Scott Gorton).

Coach Sullivan on Zymkowitz: "We work on the fundamentals of the game all the time, but one thing that you can't teach, is speed! Danielle is lightning fast and that impacts both her offensive and defensive game. Danielle has great range in the infield, and covers all kind of ground in the outfield. Our coaching staff really loves her confidence and competitive nature."