Illinois Angels: Welcome

This Angels website contains historic information on the Illinois Angels fastpitch softball teams.  As of August 1, 2011, the Angels merged with the Blue Wave.  For current information, please visit the Blue Wave website at www.lwbluewave.com

Blue Wave and Angels Become One - Announce 2012 Tryouts August 1 2011

The Blue Wave and the Illinois Angels have reached an agreement to combine the two strongest girls fastpitch programs in the Lincoln-Way area to better serve travel softball players from when they first step foot on the diamond through signing their first national letter of intent to play collegiate softball.

As part of the merger, the current Angels coaching staff and directors will join with the Blue Wave.  Coach Tom Wysocki will join the Blue Wave Board of Directors as College Recruiting Coordinator and will provide instruction and guidance to the Blue Wave coaching staff and parents. Coach Dick Visin will coach the Blue Wave 14U team. 

 For more information, please visit the Blue Wave website www.lwbluewave.com

Angels Garner College All Conference Honors for 2011

Illinois College senior shortstop, a former Angels player and coach, Sydni Szafranski has been named to the 2011 Midwest Conference all-conference team for the second year in a row. Sydni played for the Illinois Angels 16u team and returned to help coach the Angels 16u team in 2009 and 18u team in 2010.

Szafranski batted .393 with team-high totals of 33 RBIs and 33 runs scored. She also led the Lady Blues with 12 extra-base hits, 12 stolen bases and 14 walks. Szafranski hit safely in 26 of 34 games and had 12 multi-hit games.

Szafranski concluded her career this spring as Illinois College’s all-time leader in hits (156), runs (107) and stolen bases (33). 

The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin announced that Rose Wysocki has been selected for the first team CCIW All Conference team.

Wysocki, a junior at Elmhurst College and an Angels Alumna, started all 38 games for the Blue Jays playing SS, RF and 1B. She finished the season hitting .304 with 20 runs scored and 18 RBI. 

Wysocki saved her best performances for CCIW contests. She finished sixth in the league in batting, posting a .395 average over 14 conference games. She ranked third in the conference in RBIs with 11 and scored 9 runs. In two seasons with the Bluejays, Wysocki has a career .311 average with 40 runs scored and 31 RBI.

Rose played seven years for the Angels at the 12u level through 18u.  She returned to coach the 2009 and 2010 18u Angels teams.

Dominican University pitcher and Angels' alumna Jori Cicale was named to the All-Northern Athletic Conference 2nd team. 

Cicale led the Stars pitching staff with a 4.13 era.  Jori appeared in 24 games with 10 wins and 7 losses.  Jori finished 5th in the NAC in strikeouts with 121 Ks in 116 innings.

Jori played four years with the Angels at the 16u and 18u level. 

Congratulations Sydni, Rose and Jori on your outstanding accomplishments at the collegiate softball level.

New Sponsors and Advertisers Support Angels in 2011

Thanks to our 2011 sponsors and advertisers for supporting Angels' softball.  Please click the sponsor tab on the left to read about these fine companies who are supporting the Angels.   

Five Angels Named to NFCA Academic Teams June 6, 2010

Five former Angels players have been named Scholar Athletes for the 2009 - 2010 season by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.  These players excelled on the softball diamond and in the classroom.

The players earning NFCA Scholar Athlete honors are Amy Knourek (Adrian College), Sarah Shizas (DePaul University), Rose Wysocki (Elmhurst College), Caitlin Dolan (University of St Francis) and Caitlin Griffin (University of St Francis).  Congratulations to these Angels' graduates on their outstanding achievement.

The Illinois Angels are completing their 10th season as an organization. The Illinois Angels are proud to have been a part of preparing the following athletes for college programs. Also noted is the fact that a significant number of them have returned as coaches in all our age group programs to continue the heritage of strong and rigorous softball instruction.

Karissa Inglis was named to the CCAC First Team All Conference.  Inglis, who plays for Purdue North Central College as a pitcher/catcher/outfielder, batted .368 with 60 hits, 40 RBI with 19 doubles, 4 triples, and 6 Hr's.  Karissa played several years for the Angels and was part of the 2008 team which finished among the top teams in the nation at the ASA National Championships.  She is currently an assistant coach for the Angels 16u team.

Kristen Look, centerfielder for Dominican University, was named to the Northern Athletic Conference All-Conference squad.   Look led the Stars with a .421 batting average 53 hits 13 doubles and a triple.   Look played 6 years for the Angels.

Dominican sophomore pitcher Jori Cicale received honorable mention for the NAC all-conference team for the second consecutive season. Cicale posted a 14-7 mark on the season with a 2.92 earned run average. In conference play, Cicale's numbers were even better, going 11-3 with an ERA of 2.21.   Jori pitched for the Angels from 2005 through 2008 teams which garnered several top finishes in the ASA Northen National tournament and participated in ASA 18u National Championships in 2008.

Illinois College junior infielder Sydni Szafranski was selected to the first team all conference team in the Midwest Conference.  Sydni posted a .369 batting average and stole 10 bases in 11 attempts.   Syd is now tied for the school record for stolen bases.

Robert Morris junior pitcher Jen Burns was named to the CCAC all conference team.  Burns earned the most wins on the mound for the Eagles with 17 which was the second best total in the league. She totaled the most strikeouts with 150 and most innings pitched with 187.1. She also ranked in the top-10 with her 2.17 ERA.

Northern Illinois Catcher/3rd Baseman Carly Norton received second team All- MAC honors.  Norton played in 50 of 59 games this season, starting 37.  Carly hit .400 in conference play and was also named to the Academic All-MAC team.

Rounding out this years college all conference recognition for Angels alumna are CCAC All-Conference All-Academic awards for Caitlin Griffin (University of St Francis senior outfielder) and Caiti Dolan (USF shortstop) and Big East Conference All-Academic team award for Sarah Shizas (DePaul University).  Both Griffin and Dolan continue to serve as Angels coaches for the 16u and 18u teams.

•  Angels Coach Laura Visin served as a clinician for the 2010 University of St Francis coaching clinic.  Coach Visin covered getting on base and base running from fundamental through advanced strategies.  Visin has coached various levels of the Angels for the past 8 years.  Coach Visin played her college softball at DePaul University and had the honor of playing in the NCAA Division 1 College World Series in 1999 for the Blue Demons.