Feb. 9, 2010
There is a sense of excitement and anticipation surrounding the 2010 Illinois softball campaign, and for good reason. Head coach Terri Sullivan and the Illini are coming off of a 2009 season that featured the third NCAA Tournament appearance in school history and multiple wins over top-25 opponents. The majority of the talent returns from that squad, while the Orange and Blue will also be boosted by the addition of five newcomers and two players who redshirted last year due to injuries.
In total, seven starters return for the Illini - four of which earned All-Big Ten honors in 2009. Junior second baseman Danielle Zymkowitz leads the way in the talented group, coming off of one of the most successful seasons in Illinois history. Last year, Zymkowitz became the second-ever Illini to earn All-America honors when she was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association third team. The West Hills, Calif. native batted .401 for the year and scored a Big Ten-leading 48 runs while also reaching base in 42 of 46 games. Along with Zymkowitz, senior outfielder Hope Howell, junior outfielder Hollie Pinchback and sophomore third baseman Kelley Wedel all earned conference accolades last season and make up the core of what should be one of the most potent offenses in the Big Ten. On the mound, sophomore Monica Perry returns as the team ace after breaking the Illinois single-season strikeout record as a freshman.
The Illini are striving to advance beyond NCAA Regionals and improve upon their fifth-place finish in the Big Ten. With a wealth of talent, veteran leadership and a team driven to succeed, 2010 looks to be an exciting one for the Orange and Blue.
PITCHING
Sullivan feels this year's Illinois team has one of the deepest pitching staffs in recent memory, boding well for a successful 2010. Sophomore Monica Perry (McDonough, Ga./Union Grove) started in 39 of 46 games for the Illini last season, pitching 247.2 innings, earning 24 wins and striking out a school-record 223 batters with an earned run average of 3.99. Perry's accolades in her freshman campaign are endless, as she also pitched 26 complete games and threw a memorable no-hitter against Indiana. In her sophomore season, Perry will look to benefit greatly from the year of collegiate experience under her belt combined with her raw talent.
While the Illini will still rely heavily on Perry throughout the season, the addition of freshmen righthanders Pepper Gay (Atlanta, Ga./St. Pius X Cathlolic) and Jackie Guy (Buena Park, Calif./Orange Lutheran) look to pick up some of the load, coming off of lights-out senior seasons at their respective high schools. Both should get the opportunity to start and come out of the bullpen for the Illini after showing lots of promise during the fall and winter workouts.
Rounding out the Illinois rotation is senior veteran Ashley Wright (Santa Rose, Calif./Ursuline Catholic), who has made a total of 88 appearances and 45 starts in her three years in the Orange and Blue. Last season, Wright was the Illini's most reliable pitcher other than Perry, making 18 appearances and seven starts with 27 strikeouts. Entering 2010, Wright is throwing the best she has throughout her Illini career looks to be a valuable contributor again whether it be in a starting or relief role.
CATCHING
There will be a new face behind the plate for Illinois this season with the graduation of four-year starting catcher Lana Armstrong. One of the leading candidates for the job is junior Audrey Gallien (San Jose, Calif./Arthbishop Mitty), who hasn't caught since high school but has worked hard to re-learn the position and earn an everyday spot for the Orange and Blue. Gallien batted .278 last year, primarily coming off the bench as a pinch hitter. The junior had a successful fall season, demonstrating that her bat is crucial in the Illini lineup while also showing leadership on and off the field.
Sophomore Linnea Detrick (West Chicago, Ill./West Community) gained valuable experience in backing up Armstrong last season, making seven starts and playing in 21 games. She looks to make an even bigger impact in her sophomore campaign. Also catching is freshman Stephanie Cuevas (Sylmar, Calif./Bishop Alemany), who batted
.426 in high school and is showing poise and confidence in practice. Sullivan expects all three catchers to see time behind the plate this year and impact the 2010 season, making it one of Illinois' deepest positions.
INFIELD
Although young, the Illini infield returns a lot of experience, led by junior All-American Danielle Zymkowitz (West Hills, Calif./Chaminade College Prep) at second base. Zymkowitz has started and led off all 108 games played in her first two seasons and will be a consistent presence again in 2010. The team captain batted .401 as a sophomore, ranking third in Illinois single-season history and second in the Big Ten to earn first team all-conference honors. She started the season with a 15-game hitting streak, becoming the first Illini in history to be named USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week after batting 8-for-8 from March 17-22. Zymkowitz also boasts a .979 career fielding percentage and is Illinois' leader on the base paths, with 20 stolen bases and an on-base percentage of .417 in 2009. The California native will look to add to her already established Illinois legacy in her junior year.
The corners feature a pair of sophomores in Kelley Wedel (Anaheim, Calif./Loara) at third and Meredith Hackett (Corona/Calif./Santiago) at first. Wedel started all but one game last season, primarily batting fifth and earning third team All-Big Ten honors after hitting .305 with 11 RBIs in conference games, including five multi-hit games in Big Ten play. Hackett started all 46 games at first as a freshman, with 21 RBIs, eight doubles and seven home runs, including a grand slam against Houston. Even better years are expected of both sophomores, who have continued to develop and improve in the offseason and fall.
Shortstop will be a battle between sophomore Danielle Vaji (Plano, Texas/Plano) and redshirt freshman Jessica Davis (Zephyrhills, Fla./Zephyrhills). Interestingly, both players were expected to contribute in 2009 but were forced to redshirt due to knee injuries. Vaji started at shortstop for the first five games of the season before getting hurt, while Davis suffered her injury during the preseason. Vaji is known for her speed, while Davis is known for her power. Whichever player isn't at shortstop will likely compete for the DP spot or find their way onto the field.
OUTFIELD
The lone senior in the lineup will be rightfielder Hope Howell (Lithonia, Ga./George Walton Academy), who has a career batting average of .315 and has started in 159 games. The team captain has earned second team All-Big Ten honors in each of her first three seasons, coming off of her best year yet in batting .324 with a slugging percentage of .504 in 2009. Junior Hollie Pinchback (Katy, Texas/Cinco Ranch) had a breakout sophomore season, starting all 46 games in left field while hitting third. Pinchback earned third team All-Big Ten honors, finishing second on the team with a .350 batting average while leading the team in slugging percentage (.533), doubles (13) and RBIs (38). She also set an Illinois single-game record with five hits at Ohio State on April 12.
Junior Ashley Conrad (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) will likely take over centerfield this season after spending most of 2009 at shortstop due to team injuries. Conrad is one of the best athletes on the Illinois team, with the speed and ability to fill in wherever she is needed in the lineup. Also seeing time in the outfield will be sophomore Nikki Simpson (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard South). Like Conrad, Simpson is known for her speed, appearing in 27 games last year primarily as a pinch runner but seeing time in center field this fall.
OFF THE BENCH
Senior Bailey Behrens (Morris, Ill./Morris) has had a number of appearances as a pinch hitter over her career, also owning the ability to contribute in the outfield or as the DP. Sophomore Katie Lutes (Normal, Ill./Normal Community) was Illinois' go-to player off the bench in 2009 due to her speed, with 20 appearances as a pinch runner. She may get more playing time if she produces at the plate. Other options for the Illini are sophomore Gabe Gavoni (Manhatten, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) and freshmen Erin Bradarich (Chicago, Ill./Marist) and Nicole Linares (Palatine, Ill./Palatine).
SCHEDULE
Illinois' 2010 schedule is as challenging as ever, holding true to Sullivan's philosophy of playing the best opponents possible. Last year, the Illini's tough schedule was instrumental in the team's NCAA Tournament berth, as they finished the season ranked 29th in the RPI. In 2010, the Illini are slated to face a total of 19 teams that qualified for the 2009 NCAA Tournament, including four teams that advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals and two Women's College World Series participants in Missouri and Michigan. The Orange and Blue also open conference play in facing the Big Ten's top three teams from last season.
The Illini start the season with three consecutive tournaments, first traveling to Las Vegas for the UNLV Sportko Kick-Off Classic from Feb. 12-14. The next weekend, the Orange and Blue will head farther west to the Stanford Nike Invitational for five more games, including contests against 2009 NCAA Tournament teams Stanford, Fresno State and Nevada. From Feb. 26-28, Illinois will play another tough slate of games in the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., facing Florida State, Mississippi Valley State, Radford, Virginia Tech and Arkansas. The Illini will have the first week of March off, then travel to Peoria to play at Bradley on March 9 before heading to Missouri's Tiger Invite from March 12-14 to play at the site of last year's NCAA Regional.
The first home game of the year at Eichelberger Field will take place on March 17, when the Illini host Illinois State prior to their final tournament of the season in the USF `The Game' Tournament in Tampa. After a midweek doubleheader at Loyola-Chicago on March 24, Illinois opens Big Ten play at perennial power Michigan on March 27 and 28. The next week, the Illini host Indiana State on March 31 then travels for two games at Northwestern. Illinois' first Big Ten homestand is on April 10 and 11, with Ohio State coming to town.
Illinois will also host Big Ten foes Wisconsin (April 24 and 25), Iowa (May 5), Purdue (May 12) and Minnesota (May 14 and 15), while traveling to Penn State, Indiana and Michigan State. The non-conference schedule includes a number of in-state opponents, including home games against Eastern Illinois (April 15) and Southern Illinois (April 21). The highlight of the home season should be the seventh annual World's Largest Softball Tailgate on April 24 against the Badgers, as Illinois' annual softball promotion drew over 1,000 fans last season. The 2010 NCAA Tournament will begin with regionals on May 21-23.
