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    D.J. Svihlik
    6 D.J. Svihlik
    Hometown:
    Garfield Heights, Ohio
    High School:
    Culver Military
    Height / Weight:
    5-11 / 180
    Position:
    2B
    Birthdate:
    10/29/1977
    Experience:
    ***
    Bats/Throws:
    R/R

    Honor Roll:
    * NCBWA Honorable Mention All-American 1999
    * Collegiate Baseball First-Team Preseason All-American 1999
    * Third-Team All-Big Ten 1999
    * Academic All-Big Ten 1999
    * George Huff Academic Award 1999
    * Big Ten Player of the Year 1998
    * NCBWA Second-Team All-American 1998
    * First-Team ABCA Mideast Region 1998
    * First-Team All-Big Ten 1998
    * Big Ten All-Tournament Team 1998
    * NCAA South I Regional All-Tournament Team 1998
    * Big Ten All-Tournament Team 1997.

    1999:
    * Defending Big Ten Player of the Year hit .359 with a team-leading 15 home runs
    * Ranks in the Illinois top 10 in career home runs
    * Hit four game-winning home runs in 1999 and had five game-winning RBI
    * Of home runs, six either tied the game or gave Illinois the lead at the time
    * Ranked among Big Ten leaders in average, home runs, runs and RBI
    * Hit .372 in the Big Ten with a team-leading .681 slugging percentage
    * Enjoyed career-high, seven-RBI game against Eastern Illinois
    * Collected 24 multi-hit and 13 multi-RBI games over the season
    * Had three four-hit games: against Michigan State, Eastern Illinois and Iowa
    * Hit two home runs in 2-3, 3-RBI performance in game two against Ohio State
    * Chosen a 1999 first-team preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball
    * Illinois' first preseason All-America pick since Scott Spiezio was awarded the honor in 1993.

    1998:
    * Illinois' first Big Ten Player of the Year since SS Josh Klimek won the award in 1996
    * The youngest player in the Big Ten to earn Player of the Year honors since Illinois' Bubba Smith won as a freshman in 1989
    * Also an All-America and All-Mideast region pick
    * The leading hitter for Illinois at the NCAA South I Regional hit .458 (11-24) with three doubles and a home run in Gainesville
    * Ended the season on a 12-game hitting streak
    * Led the Big Ten with a .922 slugging percentage
    * Of Svihlik's 26 Big Ten hits, 15 went for extra bases (five doubles, two triples and eight home runs)
    * Led Illinois with eight Big Ten home runs, including two grand slams in conference play
    * Also smacked a grand slam against Penn State at the Big Ten Tournament
    * Hit five home runs the week of April 20, including four against Iowa
    * Recorded a career-high five RBI against Iowa in the third game of the series
    * .406 Big Ten average ranked fifth in the conference
    * Hit .500 (4-8) with the bases loaded, including three grand slams
    * Also hit .328 when at the plate with two outs and .365 with runners in scoring position
    * Appeared in 57 games and started 46 at second base.

    1997:
    * As a true freshman earned a starting spot the second half of the season at second base
    * Illinois finished the regular season 14-1 after Svihlik entered the starting line-up at second and teamed up with Jon Anderson in the middle infield
    * Earned Big Ten All-Tournament honors
    * His tournament performance included a 4-11 showing with two runs scored, an RBI and two critical doubles
    * Second on the team with a .338 average
    * Led the team with a .648 slugging percentage
    * Was crucial in Illinois' four-game sweep of Northwestern, earning four RBI on a 5-13 performance
    * Smacked a home run, triple and double against the Wildcats
    * Hit his first collegiate home run against Penn State
    * Was hit in the mouth by a ball on a bad hop and required surgery during the Purdue series and did not return to the infield until two weeks later
    * Appeared in 33 games and started 18 at second base.

    HIGH SCHOOL:
    * Earned seven letters: three in hockey and four in baseball
    * Hit .492 with six home runs and 38 RBI his senior year.

    PERSONAL:
    * Parents are Dennis and JoAnn Svihlik
    * Majoring in speech communications
    * Lists biggest thrill in sports as being given the opportunity to play baseball at Illinois
    * Cites his father as the person who most influenced his career because he gave up time and always encouraged him to achieve his highest potential
    * Admires Oakland Athletics left fielder "professional hitter" Matthew Stairs
    * Hopes to pursue a career in professional baseball or naval special operations
    * Enjoys lifting weights and extreme sports

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