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1999:
* Saw time at both catcher and pitcher
* Hit .222 in 18 at bats,
including three starts on Spring Trip
* Starts came against Duquesne,
Jacksonville, North Florida and Southern Illinois in home opener
* On the
mound, posted a 3.00 ERA in two appearances
* Threw one inning of hitless
ball against Eastern Illinois in collegiate pitching debut
* Gave up one
run in two innings against Western Michigan
* Played for the Southern Minny
Stars of the Northwoods League, posting a 1-3 record with 5.22 ERA in 58
2/3 innings of work
1998:
* Hit .364 in 12 appearances, including one start, which came at third
base in game four against Purdue
* Went 2-2 with two doubles against
Greenville
* Saw action in the Big Ten Tournament against Penn State and at
the regional in the final game against Florida
* Learned to catch over the
summer
1997:
* Started the first two-thirds of the season at shortstop
* Finished the season as a utility infielder
* Was 2-6 with a double and run scored
over the Saturday doubleheader against Ohio State
* Hit his first
collegiate extra-base hit with a double to centerfield against Ohio State
* Set a season high with two hits against Michigan State
* Hit a crucial
single in the fourth inning of the Illini's 6-4 win over Alabama-Birmingham
HIGH SCHOOL:
* An outstanding all-around athlete, earned 10 letters in high
school: two in basketball and four each in football and baseball
* Named
an all-city and all-Greater Catholic League shortstop his senior year and
all-city second team in football during his final two seasons
* Helped St.
Xavier to a third-place finish at the state baseball tournament as a
sophomore
* Participated in the National Junior Olympics
* Led his summer
baseball team, the Midland Redskins, to a second-place finish at the Connie
Mack World Series
PERSONAL:
* Born February 28, 1978
* Parents are Joseph and Donna Sprengard
* Has one sister, Jamee
* Majoring in speech communications with hopes to
pursue a job in sales or management
* Member of the Illinois
Student-Athlete Advisory Board for two years
* His cousin, Dave, played
baseball at Kansas, while his uncle, Dan, played at Kansas Community
College
* Came to Illinois because of the baseball program, but now thinks
his teammates and the college atmposphere of Champaign are the best things
about going to school at Illinois
* Says his biggest thrill in sports was
playing in front of 6,000 Florida fans doing the Gator-Chop during the 1998
NCAA regional finals
* Admires former Cincinnati Red and future Hall of
Famer Pete Rose for his incredible work ethic and love for the game
* A member of the National Honor Society in high school
* A member of Big
Buddies and the student government in high school
* A high school football
teammate of former Illinois defensive back Mike Gusich and fullback Chris
Hoffman
* Enjoys fishing and spending time with family and friends
* Chose
Illinois over Clemson, Northwestern and South Carolina
