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Illinois Players To Watch

May 24, 2000

#9 JASON ANDERSON

Position: Righthanded Pitcher Hgt.: 6-0 Wgt.: 172 Class: Junior Bats/Throws: R/R Hometown: Danville, Ill.

Illinois’ ace. The Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and a preseason All-American. Named the Most Outstanding Player at the 2000 Big Ten Tournament. 28-5 over his three year career. Anderson has won the most games in three seasons as any pitcher in school history. An undefeated 13-0 at home over his three-year career. An undefeated 4-0 in the postseason in his career. 13-3 in his career in Big Ten conference play. On the Smith Award Watch List. A finalist for University of Illinois Athlete of the Year honors.

2000 – The Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, first-team All-Big Ten and 2000 Big Ten Tournament MVP * Named tournament MVP after throwing two complete games at the tournament, winning Illinois’ first game, 6-2, over Purdue after throwing a tournament record 12 innings while withstanding three hours of rain delays * Turned around and won the tournament championship game, 5-3, over the nation’s top offense in Penn State on three days of rest in another complete game * Ranks among nation’s top 10 with 13 wins and those 13 wins tie Illinois’ single season wins record * Leads the pitching staff with 86 K’s * Leads the conference with a 13-3 overall record and a 5-2 record in Big Ten games * Has 47 K’s in conference games * Leads the Big Ten in shutouts (2), innings pitched (125 1/3) and games started (18) * Has nine complete games (seven in the Big Ten) in 18 starts * Defeated Northwestern 5-0 to earn his third career shutout and third shutout against Big Ten teams * The Northwestern game was Anderson’s first career two-hitter * Named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after posting two wins the week of March 24th-31st and breaking into Illinois’ top ten career wins list * Has a 2.00 or lower ERA in four of seven Big Ten series * Pitched his seventh complete game of his career and the third of the season, in a 9-4 victory over Big Ten rival Michigan * Struck out a season-high 11 batters against Michigan * Threw 17 consecutive shutout innings from March 24th vs. Iowa to April 7th against Michigan * Had a 15-1 lead over Iowa after seven innings when the power went out and the game was suspended until the next day, robbing Anderson of the chance at another complete game * Defeated St. John’s preseason All-American Kevin McGerry, 6-5, in a complete game win on the Spring Trip * Threw seven innings against No. 3 Houston, allowing only two earned runs on four hits in a game Illinois won in the final inning.

Career Highlights – Ranks fourth on Illinois’ career winning percentage (.848) list, second on Illinois’ career wins list (28), and sixth with 190 career K’s * Went 6-0 as a freshman * Threw his first collegiate shutout against Iowa in regular season Big Ten play in 1998 * Defeated Wake Forest, 13-4, in a complete game that advanced Illinois to the NCAA South I Regional final in 1998 * Posted a 9-2 record as the staff ace his sophomore year * Shutout Michigan State, 6-0, while striking out 12 as a sophomore * Defeated Minnesota at the Big Ten Tournament in 1999 * Has one career stolen base, against Florida A&M in 1999, as a pinch runner * Posted a 5-1 Big Ten record in ’99 on his way to being named first-team All-Big Ten.

Personal – Born June 9, 1979 * Parents are Marilyn Anderson and Roger Eldridge * Major is accountancy * Chose Illinois for its academics and the diversity of the student body * A four-year honor roll student, Anderson was named to the Big 12 All-Academic team in high school * Enjoys playing ping-pong and golfing * Admires baseball’s Nolan Ryan because he was successful for over two decades in the major leagues.

Anderson Career Honor Roll Big Ten Pitcher of the Year (2000) First-team All-Big Ten (2000) Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanidng Player (2000) Big Ten All-tournament Team (2000) Big Ten Pitcher of the Week (4/ 3/00) Academic All-District V 2000 Collegiate Baseball second-team preseason all-american 2000 First-team All-Big Ten ’99 Academic All-District V ’99 Academic All-Big Ten ’99 George Huff academic Award ’99 Illinois Newcomer of the Year ’98

#20 Craig Marquie

Position: Third Base Hgt.: 6-2 Wgt.: 195 Class: Senior Bats/Throws: R/R Hometown: Bourbonnais, Ill.

The UI career leader in total bases and games played, Marquie is a two-time All-Big Ten selection who will graduate as one of the most decorated baseball players in the history of the UI program. He will graduate among Illinois’ career leaders in seven categories, including hits, runs scored, home runs, doubles, total bases, RBI and games played.

2000 – Hit .300 (9-39) to earn All-Big Ten Tournament team honors * Enjoyed flawless play in the field and made diving play at third for final force out of championship game * Went 2-for-6 with three RBI in Illinois’ 12 inning win over Purdue in opening round action at the tournament * Was 3-for-5 in elimination game vs. Ohio State that sent Illinois to the championship game * Collected a season-high four runs and four hits against Michigan * Leads the team with 32 walks * Hit his first triple of the season in Illinois’ 9-4 win over Michigan * Has 19 multi-hit games this season and six multi-RBI games * Knocked in a season-high four runs against Michigan and again at Michigan State * Hit .412 (7-17) against the Spartans * Hit two doubles against Ohio State in game one of the series * Had three hits in both games one and four at Michigan State * Has appeared in all but two games over his four-year career * Is tied for second on the team with six home runs this season * Leads the team with four home runs in conference play * Drew a team-high (and school record) five walks at Duquesne * Stole his first base of the season against WMU April 5th.

Career Highlights – Illinois’ four-year starter at third base * Only Illini in school history to be named Big Ten Player of the Week as a freshman – he earned the honor after hitting .667 (12-18) with 12 RBI over a series against Indiana * Earned second Big Ten Player of the Week honors as a junior after hitting .643 with eight RBI, two doubles and two home runs in a sweep of Purdue * Hit .392 in 1998 with 16 doubles and 11 homers * The 1998 first-team All-Big Ten third baseman * Also earned All-Big Ten Tournament and first-team ABCA Mideast Region team honors in 1998 * Hit .327 as a freshman and .368 as a junior * Led the Illini in RBI as a sophomore (58) and junior (55) * Has 87 career multi-hit and 45 career multi-RBI games * Earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season * Career high hitting streak is 15 games, and came in 1999 * A three-time Academic All-Big Ten pick and two-time Academic All-American.

Personal – Born July 5, 1977 * Parents are Vernon and Linda Marquie * Enrolled in the College of Commerce and Business Administration with a major in industrial distribution management * Member of the Illinois Student-Athlete Advisory Board.

Marquie Career Honor Roll Third-team All-Big Ten 2000 Big Ten All-Tournament Team 2000 Second-Team All-Big Ten ’99 Big Ten Player of the Week (5-18-99) Academic All-District V ’99 Academic All-Big Ten ’99 George Huff academic Award ’99 First-Team All-Big Ten ’98 First-Team ABCA Mideast Region ’98 Big Ten All-Tournament Team ’98 Academic All-district V ’98 Academic All-Big Ten ’98 George Huff Academic Award ’98 Big Ten Player of the Week (3-31-97) Academic All-Big Ten ’97

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