32 Danyel Crutcher Class: Senior Hometown: Orange, N.J. High School: Orange Height: 6-2 Position: Forward

Danyel Crutcher

AT ILLINOIS
2007-08 - Senior Played in 19 games, starting 10 at forward ... Left the team prior to the Jan. 31 game against Purdue ... Finished career tied for seventh on the Illinois career rebouding list with 686 boards and tied for 16th on the blocked shots list with 52 ... Notched a career-high four steals on Jan. 17 at Ohio State to go along with eight points and 10 rebounds ... Was a force in the paint on Jan. 6 at Indiana, scoring 15 points and grabbing nine rebounds ... Played all 40 minutes for the first time in her career on Dec. 30 vs. Wisconsin, contributing eight points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocks ... Notched her first double-double of the season on Dec. 8 vs. Chicago State, with 20 points and 10 rebounds on 10-of-12 shooting ... Made her first start of the season on Dec. 5 against Oklahoma, turning in 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists ... Scored 13 points on Nov. 14 vs. UAB and converted a career-high seven free throws while grabbing seven rebounds.

2006-07 - Junior: Played in all 31 games, starting 30 at the power forward position ... Averaged a career-high 8.9 points per game and pulled a career-best 7.1 boards per game ... Shot .509 from the field, second best on the team ... Had a season-high 17 points and pulled down 10 boards at Iowa on Feb. 15 for her team-high sixth double-double of the season ... Has tallied 11 career double-doubles, most on the team ... Ranked seventh in the conference in defensive rebounding (5.13) and 11th in overall rebounds (7.1) ... Led the Illini in rebounding 12 times in 2006-07, second most on the team ... Scored in double-figures 17 times, which ranked third on the team, and pulled down double-digit rebounds six times, second most on the team ... Ranks 15th on the Illinois career rebounding list after her first three seasons with 568 career boards ... 2006-07 team co-captain.

2005-06 - Sophomore: Saw action in all 31 games, starting eight at forward ... Named Big Ten Player of the Week (Dec. 19) after 24-point, 11-rebound performance against No. 15 Oklahoma and All-American Courtney Paris ... Made a career-best and team season-high 10 field goals on 15 attempts against the Sooners ... Also had double-doubles on Dec. 22 vs. Illinois State (12 points, 10 rebounds) and in the WNIT Preliminary Round game vs. Western Illinois on March 15 (16 points, 11 rebounds) ... Led team in FG% (.548) and was second on the team in rebounding (5.6) ... Led the team in rebounding on 13 occasions and pulled down double-digit boards five times ... Won the team's Best Attitude Award for the second straight season.

2004-05 - Freshman: Named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team by conference coaches ... Played in all 30 games, starting 24 during her freshman season ... Averaged 5.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game ... Led all Big Ten freshmen and posted the second-highest all-time UI freshman field goal percentage (.578) ... Had the second-most rebounds by an Illinois freshman (176) ... Posted a double-double in her first collegiate game (11 pts., 11 rebs. vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 20) and had another one vs. No. 16 UCLA on Dec. 19 (12 pts., 11 rebs.) ... Led the team in rebounding on 12 occasions and reached double-figures in boards four times ... Scored a career-high 13 points vs. Central Michigan on Dec. 28... Winner of the team's Best Attitude Award.

HIGH SCHOOL
Listed 98th in the class of 2004 by Blue Star Report ... First player in Orange (N.J.) High School history to score 1,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds ... Averaged a double-double for her career ... Blocked over 200 shots in her career ... Shot over .600 from the field in her four years ... Named first team All-State Group III in 2003 ... Earned Northern Hill Conference Skyline Division MVP honors in 2003 after leading the league in scoring (467 points), rebounds (303) and blocked shots (80) ... Named first team All-Area by the Orange Transcript ... Named first team All-Essex County by the Star-Ledger ... Only player in school history to average a double-double in consecutive seasons ... Only the 12th player in Essex County history to compile 1,000 rebounds ... Coached by Pia Frazier ... Also played for the New Jersey Pioneers AAU Team, coached by Marquis Smalls.

PERSONAL
Born Sept. 2, 1986 ... Daughter of the late William Crutcher, Jr. and Cynthia Hector ... Has a sister, Kristel Hector, and a brother, William Crutcher III ... Majoring in community health ... Hopes to become a pilot.

GETTING TO KNOW CRUTCH...
I chose Illinois because: The family environment, the facilities and the aviation program
Favorite place on campus: My one bedroom apartment
Best memory as an Illini: Realizing the friendships I made are for a lifetime
What I've learned from Coach Law: She'll do anything for you
Which of your teammates is...
...the funniest? Audrey
...the best dressed? Depends on the day
...the smartest? We all have our days...but usually it is Lori's day
Favorite athlete: Tamika Catchings
Favorite Illini athlete (not on your team): Ella Masar (soccer)
Favorite sports team: New Jersey Nets
Favorite movies: Liar, Liar and Belly
Favorite sports movie: Major League
Favorite TV shows: The Cosby Show and Will & Grace
Favorite meal: Chinese food
Favorite activity outside basketball: Relaxing
One thing I can't go a day without: My Sidekick
Biggest sports thrill: Playing in the Michigan State game my freshman year in the Big Ten Tournament
Pre-game superstitions: I must wear my Crutch necklace until the game begins
Person you would most like to spend a day with: My Daddy
Who had the biggest impact on your basketball career and why? My high school coach Fra. She always believed in me no matter what.
Three words that describe my play are: Energetic, emotional, hungry
Plans after Illinois: Go to aviation school and make a high salary

CRUTCHER'S CAREER STATISTICS

		Minutes		Total			3-Point			F-Throws			Rebounds
Year	gp-gs	min	avg	fg	fga	pct	fg	fga	pct	ft	fta	pct	off	def	tot	avg	pf	fo	ast	t/o	blk	stl	pts	avg
2004-05	30-24	669	22.3	78	135	.578	0	0	.000	21	34	.618	69	107	176	5.9	51	0	10	30	18	11	177	5.9
2005-06	31-8	628	20.3	102	186	.548	1	5	.200	34	43	.791	56	117	173	5.6	55	1	14	41	7	14	239	7.7
2006-07	31-30	847	27.3	113	222	.509	0	2	.000	49	63	.778	60	159	219	7.1	58	0	37	60	17	9	275	8.9
2007-08	19-10	596	31.4	78	152	.513	0	0	.000	38	50	.760	41	77	118	6.2	40	2	26	44	10	14	194	10.2
TOTAL	111-72	2740	24.7	371	695	.534	1	7	.143	142	190	.747	226	460	686	6.2	204	3	87	175	52	48	885	8.0

updated May 2008