Jeff Huth's eight Illini you need to know

Check out last year's 10 Illini You Need to Know here.

WILLIE ARGO

Baseball

Born: Oct. 15, 1989

Class: Sophomore

Major: Undecided

Hometown: Davenport, Iowa

High school: Assumption

Height: 6-1

Favorite athlete: Ken Griffey Jr.

Prepping to be an Illini: The poster boy of multi-sport athletes, Argo earned 13 varsity letters in four sports during his prep career. A three-time all-stater in baseball, he also set the Iowa Class 4A football record for career touchdowns (83). Twice placed third in state wrestling tournaments and twice was a top-seven finisher in the 100 meters at state track meets.

Why you should know Argo: Because the designated hitter/outfielder turned in a freshman season for the record books. Argo finished with the second-most home runs (12), fourth-most RBI (47) and eighth-best batting average (.355) by a freshman in Illini history. The Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American earned national attention for his collegiate debut, in which he belted homers in each of his first three at-bats March 7 against No. 1 LSU.

What most people don't know about me: "I like to read a lot, especially John Grisham novels."

MICHELLE BARTSCH

Volleyball

Born: Feb. 12, 1990

Class: Sophomore

Major: Kinesiology

Hometown: Maryville

High school: Collinsville

Height: 6-3

Favorite athlete: Mia Hamm

Prepping to be an Illini: The two-time All-Stater was ranked 16th nationally in the 2007 senior class by prepvolleyball.com. Identified during high school by USA Volleyball as one of nation's top young talents. A member of the 2006 U.S. Girls Youth National Team that won the NORCECA Championships. A starting middle blocker on the 2008 U.S. Junior National team that also won gold in the NORCECA.

Why you should know Bartsch: Because the 6-foot-3 right-side hitter is the only sophomore on the 14-player preseason All-Big Ten team. Such is the respect Bartsch earned from league coaches after a high-impact freshman season for an NCAA Sweet 16 qualifier. The 2008 Big Ten and AVCA Mideast Region Freshman of the Year ranked 10th in the Big Ten in blocks (seventh in conference-only matches) and finished third among Illini in kills.

What most people don't know about me: "My hometown has the world's largest ketchup bottle (a 170-foot water tower in the form of a Brooks ketchup bottle) and the world's largest ketchup packet."

MELISSA BATES

Track and field

Born: Sept. 16, 1988

Class: Junior

Major: Communications

Hometown: Grand Prairie, Texas

High school: Bowie

Height: 5-9

Favorite athlete: Allyson Felix

Prepping to be an Illini: As a senior, Bates anchored Arlington (Texas) Bowie's 800-meter relay team to third place in the Class 5A (largest schools) state meet. That same relay unit set a Texas Region 1 meet record of 1 minute, 37.57 seconds to finish first and qualify for state. Bates also ran on a Region 1 champion 400 relay team. A team captain as a junior and senior, she won Bowie's "Never Say Die" award all four years of her prep career.

Why you should know Bates: Because she is the reigning Big Ten champion in the outdoor 400 meters, becoming the first Illini to win a conference title in that event since current UI coach Tonja Buford-Bailey in 1993. Bates, who had never run the open 400 before the 2009 season, finished in 53.39 seconds to rank fourth on the Illini all-time performers' list. Also anchored indoor 1,600 relay to a school-record 3:35.13 in early March.

What most people don't know about me: "This summer, I've been big on yoga and Pilates. That's my new relaxation method."

MELISSA FERNANDEZ

Gymnastics

Born: Nov. 2, 1988

Class: Junior

Major: Kinesiology

Hometown: Eudora, Kan.

High school: Eudora

Height: 5-0

Favorite athlete: LeBron James

Prepping to be an Illini: As a member of the Olathe, Kan.-based KGDC Twisters, Fernandez finished eighth in the all-around at the 2007 Junior Olympic National Championships. In that same meet, she tied for sixth in floor exercise and shared seventh in vault. In 2006, Fernandez placed second in balance beam and tied for 10th in all-around at the J.O. Nationals.

Why you should know Fernandez: Because she is the first NCAA All-America first-teamer in Illini women's gymnastics history. The breakthrough occurred when Fernandez finished seventh in the balance beam at the 2009 NCAA Championships. She earlier became the first Illini to advance to an NCAA Championships event final by tying for first in beam during the meet's opening session. Fernandez won five balance beam titles in 2009 and equaled the second-highest score in the event (9.925) in UI history.

What most people don't know about me: "I was born in Honduras and still have a lot of family there."

DANIELLE KOT

Soccer

Born: Nov. 8, 1988

Class: Junior

Major: Psychology

Hometown: Brookfield, Wis.

High school: Brookfield Central

Height: 5-9

Favorite athlete: Lance Armstrong

Prepping to be an Illini: Kot twice earned Youth All-America honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and was a Soccer Buzz top 75 recruit. She helped her club team – FC Milwaukee – win four consecutive Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association titles. In her only two years of high school soccer, Brookfield Central captured two state crowns.

Why you should know Kot: Because she was Co-Defensive MVP for a team that recorded nine shutouts and compiled the second-lowest goals-against average (0.80) in school history. Kot, who played every minute of the 2008 season, earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and was a Soccer Buzz All-Great Lakes Region second-teamer. The 2009 co-captain is a threat on offense, too, tying for third on the team in assists last year with three.

What most people don't know about me: "I hate spiders and heights."

DENNIS NEVOLO

Tennis

Born: Dec. 22, 1989

Class: Sophomore

Major: Sport management

Hometown: Gurnee

High school: Keystone National

Height: 5-10

Favorite athlete: Ray Allen

Prepping to be an Illini: Nevolo attended Gurnee Warren as a freshman and sophomore, winning the IHSA state singles title and finishing 32-0 in 2006, before turning to home-schooling. He earned top-10 USTA rankings in every junior age group. Reached Round of 16 at 2007 U.S. Open Junior Championships, the same year he won singles crowns at the USTA National Open in Tampa, Fla., and the Midwest Indoor Closed in Indianapolis. Ranked as high as No. 1 by Tennisrecruiting.net in boys' 18 and under.

Why you should know Nevolo: Because he was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and an All-Big Ten selection whose season lasted into the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships. Nevolo's singles record of 28-13 included a 7-7 mark against nationally ranked opponents. He never played lower than No. 3 in the singles lineup. Nevolo finished the season ranked No. 43, sixth highest among freshmen. He reached the Round of 32 in the NCAA Singles Championships before losing in three sets to Georgia All-American Nate Schnugg.

What most people don't know about me: "My family has two sets of twins; me and my twin brother David, and my older brother and sister Jeff and Julie."

DANIEL RIBEIRO

Gymnastics

Born: July 13, 1989

Class: Junior

Major: General management in the School of Business

Hometown: Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.

High school: Northern Highlands Regional

Height: 5-8

Favorite athlete: Derek Jeter

Prepping to be an Illini: As he would in college, Ribeiro excelled in the pommel horse during his junior career. He twice finished runner-up in the event at the Junior Olympic National Championships before breaking through for the gold medal in 2007. From 2005 to '07, Ribeiro also was a finalist in the all-around at the J.O. Nationals. Led his club team to the New Jersey State Championship title in 2007.

Why you should know Ribeiro: Because he is the reigning NCAA champion in pommel horse and was selected by USA Gymnastics as an alternate member of the U.S. team that will compete in the World Championships in October. Last month, the two-time All-American led in his signature event at the USA Gymnastics Visa Championships after one session before finishing in a tie for fourth. At the 2009 Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas, Ribeiro placed second in pommel horse.

What most people don´t know about me: "My father, Joao Ribeiro, competed in the 1980 Olympics in gymnastics for Brazil."

DANIELLE ZYMKOWITZ

Softball

Born: July 4, 1989

Class: Junior

Major: Communications

Hometown: West Hills, Calif.

High school: Chaminade College Prep

Height: 5-4

Favorite athlete: Chone Figgins

Prepping to be an Illini: Zymkowitz was a three-time Chaminade Female Athlete of the Year and a second-team California Interscholastic Federation (Southern Section) selection as a junior. She twice earned All-Mission League first-team honors. The infielder played on a prep state title team and on travel teams that twice reached Amateur Softball Association age-group national tournaments.

Why you should know Zymkowitz: Because the two-year starter is the second Illini ever to earn All-America honors in softball. The second baseman was named to the 2009 National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America third team after hitting .401 and reaching base in 42 of 46 games. Zymkowitz's batting average was the third highest in UI single-season history. She was successful on 20 of 21 stolen base attempts and compiled the third-highest on-base percentage (.484) in program history.

What most people don't know about me: "I love watching the Disney Channel."

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