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2011 - Redshirt Junior: Played in 48 contests, making 46 starts ... Spent time in left field, at shortstop and as the designated player during her third full season with the Orange and Blue ... Hit .291 with 41 base-knocks, including four doubles and four triples ... Also totaled 13 walks and a hit by pitch to finish the season with a .353 on-base percentage ... Stole a career-best eight bases as a result of the increase in amount of times on base ... Totaled a 14-game hitting streak from Feb. 12 to March 12, the longest of any Illini on the season ... Was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored against Georgia Tech on Feb. 18 ... Tallied her first double of the season while also drawing one walk, knocking in one run and scoring another at Florida International on Feb. 19 ... Went 6-for-14 (.429) during the ESPN Citrus Classic with a triple, RBI and two runs scored ... Doubled and walked in three plate appearances against #18 Missouri on March 12 ... Totaled a career-high four hits in four at bats to go with two runs scored, an RBI and a walk against San Jose State on March 19 ... Went 2-for-3 with a double, triple and a run scored against Southern Illinois on March 23 ... Hit .375 (3-for-8) with three singles, an RBI and a stolen base across both games against Michigan State ... Tallied a two-RBI double against Penn State on April 3. ... Was 2-for-4 with a run scored against Ohio State on April 10. ... Totaled two hits in four at bats, both singles, during a nine-inning victory at Minnesota on May 13.
2010 - Redshirt Sophomore: Saw time in 52 contests, making 47 starts ... Hit .285 in 130 plate appearances ... Totaled 37 hits on the season, including four doubles ... Scored 29 runs and drove in an additional 17 ... Walked 17 times and earned a .350 on base percentage ... Hit .340 against Big Ten pitching, totaling 17 hits in 50 plate appearances ... Walked eight times and drove in six runs to go with 11 runs scored in conference play ... Went 2-for-2 with two runs scored in the Illini's 7-4 win over Nevada ... Knocked in two runs on two hits against Mississippi Valley on Feb. 26 ... Scored two runs on one hit an two walks against Northwestern on April 3 ... Went 1-for-3 with two RBIs during Illinois' 4-0 shutout of Penn State on April 17 ... Knocked in two runs with two hits against Southern Illinois on April 21 ... Was 2-for-4 with one run scored and two RBIs during the Illini's 9-1 victory over DePaul during NCAA Regional play.
2009 - Sophomore: Played in five games before suffering a season-ending knee injury against Hofstra on Feb. 13 ... Prior to the injury, started the first five games of the season at shortstop, batting .444 (4-of-9) ... Was 2-for-2 against UC Davis on Feb. 8 ... Received a medical hardship waiver.
2008 - Freshman: Played in 47 games with 11 starts, all at designated player ... Collected first RBI with a double against Minnesota on April 19 ... Best outing came against Eastern Illinois on April 2, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base ... Made first career start at Florida International on Feb. 24.
High School: Named first team All-District at Plano as a third baseman under coach Cynthia Zea ... Led the district with a .505 batting average in 2005 ... Played club ball for Wicked, coached by Mel Hall and Glory, coached by Mark Vaji and Dan Adkins ... Led basketball team to the district championship in 2005 ... Also played volleyball.
Personal: Born Jan. 25, 1989 ... Daughter of Mark and Donna Vaji ... Has a sister, Nicole, a brother, Matt, and a niece, Addyson ... Majoring in communication ... Enjoys playing guitar, drawing and all sports.
Getting to Know Danielle: Nickname: JJ ... Favorite Food: Cereal and chicken ... Favorite TV Shows: The Office, 24, ESPN and WWE Raw ... Favorite Music Artists: Alicia Keys and Matt Wertz ... Favorite Pro Teams: Texas Rangers and Dallas Mavericks ... How did you start playing softball? "My dad" ... Favorite Quote: "Baseball is 90% mental - the other half is physical." - Yogi Berra.
Vaji's Career Statistics
| Year | Avg. | GP-GS | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | TB | Slg. % | BB | HBP | OB % | SF | SH | SB-Att. | PO | A | E | Fld. % |
| 2008 | .184 | 47-11 | 38 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | .237 | 5 | 1 | .295 | 0 | 0 | 2-4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2009 | .444 | 5-5 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .444 | 3 | 0 | .583 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 3 | 9 | 3 | .800 |
| 2010 | .285 | 52-47 | 130 | 29 | 37 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 41 | .315 | 13 | 0 | .350 | 0 | 0 | 2-3 | 37 | 42 | 9 | .898 |
| 2011 | .291 | 48-46 | 141 | 20 | 41 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 53 | .376 | 13 | 1 | .353 | 1 | 0 | 8-13 | 54 | 44 | 8 | .925 |
| Total | .280 | 152-109 | 318 | 65 | 89 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 107 | .336 | 34 | 2 | .352 | 1 | 0 | 12-20 | 94 | 95 | 20 | .904 |
