Illini you need to know

Staff writer Jeff Huth spotlights 10 on the University of Illinois campus who deserve your attention:

ANGELA BIZZARRI

Cross-Country and Track

Born: Feb. 15, 1988

Class: Sophomore

Major: Biomedical engineering

Hometown/high school: Mason, Ohio

Height: 5-4

Favorite athlete: Tiger Woods

Prepping to be an Illini: Bizzarri was a five-time state champion in Division I (Ohio's largest class). Two of the titles came in cross-country, and she was a three-time track champ in the 3,200 meters. Bizzarri also placed third in the 1,600 in 2004, helping Mason to the state crown.

Why you should know Angela Bizzarri: Because, quite simply, she had the greatest freshman season by a female cross-country runner in school history. Among her many notable feats: All-American; second place in the NCAA Midwest Regional to earn All-Midwest Regional honors; fifth place in the Big Ten, the highest finisher ever by a UI freshman in the league meet; and freshman school records for 5 kilometers and 6K. The Illini Female Newcomer of the Year ran the second-fastest outdoor 1,500 meters in UI women's track history and was an NCAA qualifier in that event.

NICOLE COWART

Gymnastics

Born: June 12, 1988

Class: Sophomore

Major: Business

Hometown: Greenwood, Ind.

High school: Center Grove

Height: 5-2

Favorite athlete: Marvin Harrison

Prepping to be an Illini: Cowart was a six-time Junior Olympic National Championships qualifier and a two-time member of the Junior Olympic Team. In 2006, she finished third in the all-around and second in balance beam at the Junior Olympic Level 10 national meet.

Why you should know Nicole Cowart: Because she was an All-Big Ten first-teamer as a true freshman after placing fourth in the all-around at the league meet. That performance helped lead Illinois to third place, its highest Big Ten finish since 1990. A fixture in the all-around on a veteran Illini squad, Cowart tied senior Cara Pomeroy for the team lead in event titles with 10. Three came in the all-around. "Suki" also placed in the top 10 in three events, as well as the all-around, at the NCAA South Central Regional.

SHANNA DILLER

Softball

Born: Feb. 9, 1986

Class: Senior

Major: Advertising

Hometown: Bloomington

High school: Normal Community

Height: 5-10

Favorite athlete: Michael Jordan

Prepping to be an Illini: Diller was a first-team all-state selection as a senior and a two-time all-state tournament team pick. The Bloomington Pantagraph Player of the Year in 2004, she batted .448 with 22 extra-base hits. The versatile Diller was a three-time All-Big 12 choice in softball and volleyball.

Why you should know Shanna Diller: Because the three-year starter could end her career as Illinois' all-time leader in home runs and RBI. The third baseman enters her senior year with 28 round-trippers (five shy of Jenna Hall's school record) and 123 RBI (19 short of Hall's mark). Diller already shares the UI single-season home run record after belting 16 in 2007. "Dill" was a second-team All-Great Lakes Region selection and third-team All-Big Ten choice last spring after ranking in the top 100 nationally in four hitting categories.

ASHLEY EDINGER

Volleyball

Born: Feb. 5, 1988

Class: Sophomore

Major: Molecular and cellular biology/pre-med

Hometown/high school: Michigan City, Ind.

Height: 5-9

Favorite athlete: Stacey Sikora

Prepping to be an Illini: As a senior, Edinger was selected the nation's top high school libero by prepvolleyball.com. The Web site also ranked her among the top 50 players in her class all four years of her prep career. In 2005, Edinger played for the USA Youth National Team in the Under-18 World Championships.

Why you should know Ashley Edinger: Because as a true freshman she racked up 488 digs, the No. 2 single-season total in Illini history, while starting every match at libero. Edinger had 20 or more digs in eight matches, including 31 digs against Loyola and 30 against Iowa. Those two performances rank in the top seven in school history. Edinger was at her most consistent when the stakes were highest, averaging 4.51 digs a game in Big Ten play to rank fourth in the league. Her value extended to serving, where she led the UI with 38 aces.

LESIBA MASHETO

Track & field

Born: Nov. 1, 1984

Class: Junior

Major: Kinesiology

Hometown: Maun, Botswana

High school: TuTume McConnell College

Height/weight: 5-8, 150

Favorite athlete: Jeremy Wariner

Prepping to be an Illini: Masheto spent his freshman year at the University of Botswana before transferring to the UI. At the 2006 African University Games, he won the 400 meters and was the 200 runner-up. While still in high school, Masheto was Namibia's 2005 national champion in the 400.

Why you should know Lesiba Masheto: Because of his phenomenal debut season in 2007, which earned "Shoes" the Illini Male Newcomer of the Year award. Indoors, Masheto placed fifth in the NCAA 400, first in the Big Ten 600 and set school records in both events. Outdoors, he became a second-time All-American by finishing fourth in the NCAA 400 after adding two more Big Ten titles to his resume – in the 400 and 1,600 relay. His season-best time of 45.41 seconds in the outdoor 400 ranks third on the all-time UI list.

CHICHI NWEKE

Soccer

Born: Aug. 1, 1988

Class: Sophomore

Major: Psychology

Hometown: Virginia Beach, Va.

High school: Princess Anne

Height: 5-7

Favorite athlete: Zinedine Zidane

Prepping to be an Illini: Nweke was a Soccer Buzz Top 75 recruit following a standout prep and club career. As a senior, the first-team all-stater scored 22 goals in 23 matches while leading Princess Anne to the state semifinals. Nweke was a key member of two Virginia State Cup champions with her club team, Beach FC Frye.

Why you should know Chichi Nweke: Because she was the 2007 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, the first Illini in the program's 10-year history to win the award. Nweke also was recognized nationally as one of the game's top newcomers, selected to TopDrawerSoccer's All-Rookie second team and to Soccer America's All-Freshman second team. The forward ranked second on the Illini in goals (eight) and points (20) while recording a team-best shooting percentage of .235. In a particularly memorable performance against Utah, Nweke tied a school record with six points in one half.

MIKE POETA

Wrestling

Born: April 15, 1986

Class: Junior

Major: Community health

Hometown: Highwood

High school: Highland Park

Height/weight: 5-8, 157

Favorite athlete: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Prepping to be an Illini: Poeta was ranked the nation's No. 1 recruit by Intermat when he signed with the UI in November 2003. He went on to win his second straight IHSA state title. Poeta also was a two-time national champion, in USA Wrestling's junior freestyle tournament and the National High School Coaches Association's folkstyle meet.

Why you should know Mike Poeta: Because he finished third in the NCAA at 157 pounds in 2007 and was ranked No. 1 in his weight class for nine straight weeks. Poeta won his first 19 matches last season, including a 9-8 thriller against then-No. 1 Trent Paulson of Iowa and another against No. 2 C.P. Schlatter of Minnesota. After a rib cage injury in early February sidelined him for nearly a month, Poeta placed fourth at the Big Ten meet but bounced back to win five of six NCAA matches to finish with a 25-3 record.

TANNER ROARK

Baseball

Born: Oct. 5, 1986

Class: Junior

Major: Recreational sports and tourism

Hometown/high school: Wilmington

Height/weight: 6-2, 200

Favorite athlete: Muhammad Ali

Prepping to be an Illini: Roark was a three-time Class A all-stater and the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association's pick as 2005 Class A Player of the Year. He led Wilmington to state titles in 2003 and '05, earning state tournament MVP honors both years.

Why you should know Tanner Roark: Because the right-hander, in his first season as No. 1 in the Illini starting rotation, went 8-2. Only one other Big Ten pitcher finished with more wins. Perhaps more impressive, Roark routinely outdueled other staff aces to go 6-1 during the Big Ten race, tying for the lead in conference wins. The All-Big Ten second-teamer also ranked second in Big Ten innings and tied for third in league strikeouts. Roark's only defeat in his final nine decisions came against conference champ Michigan.

MARC SPICIJARIC

Tennis

Born: Oct. 6, 1986

Class: Junior

Major: Sports management

Hometown: Wesley Chapel, Fla.

High school: Saddlebrook Prep

Height/weight: 5-10, 180

Favorite athlete: Dwyane Wade

Prepping to be an Illini: In 2003, Spicijaric was ranked as high as No. 1 in U.S. juniors in singles and doubles. He also rose to No. 42 in the International Tennis Federation rankings. As an ITF junior, Spicijaric played in the junior events at the U.S. and French opens as well as at Wimbledon.

Why you should know Marc Spicijaric: Because the Illini co-leader in victories (32) last season was at his best during his 10th-ranked team's remarkable run to second place in the NCAA tournament. Spicijaric went 4-1 in singles (with another match unfinished) to earn NCAA All-Tournament honors. His victory at No. 3 singles against No. 2 Ohio State clinched Illinois' berth in the semifinals. That clutch victory was nothing new. Of Spicijaric's team-leading six dual match-clinching wins, all came against nationally ranked foes and three toppled top 10 opponents.

TYLER YAMAUCHI

Gymnastics

Born: May 16, 1985

Class: Senior

Major: Kinesiology

Hometown: Sugarland, Texas

High school: Elkins

Height/weight: 5-1, 128

Favorite athlete: Bill Russell

Prepping to be an Illini: Yamauchi was a three-time member of the U.S. Junior National Team (1999-2000, 2001-03). At the 2002 Junior Pan American Championships in the Dominican Republic, he won a gold medal in the pommel horse and a silver in still rings for a champion U.S. team.

Why you should know Tyler Yamauchi: Because the three-time All-American is poised to join a truly exclusive club. If Yamauchi can earn All-America honors in 2008, he would join Justin Spring and Peter Shostchuk as the only four-year All-Americans in UI gymnastics history. Yamauchi was a Big Ten event champion for the first time this year, in vault. Earlier this month, the 2007 UI Most Outstanding Gymnast award winner placed seventh in vault at the World University Games in Thailand.

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