Illinois volleyball head coach Don Hardin announced the strongest recruiting class of his career Wednesday during a press conference for National Signing Day at the Bielfeldt Athletic Building.

Signing with the Illini for the 2007 season are: Hillary Haen, a setter from Crystal Lake, Laura DeBruler, an outside hitter from Downers Grove, Johannah Bangert, a middle blocker from Washington, Mo., Nicole Kump, a middle blocker from Joliet and Abby Nelson, a middle blocker from Chicago.

All five players are ranked among the top 100 nationally and Haen was consistently ranked as one of the top two setters in the entire country.

“These girls are going to change the face of our program,” Hardin said. “They are all quality players and they can help us immediately.”

A quick look at the new Illini …

Hillary Haen: A 5-foot-10 setter from Prairie Ridge High School, Haen was heavily recruited by several national powerhouses, including USC. Haen was one of the first recruits to commit to Illinois, and Hardin said her commitment helped spur the recruitment of other players.

“When Hillary visited us, there was great chemistry,” Hardin said. “We had the same goals and we pledged to her that we were making changes. She trusted us to sign and now we have to come through.”

Laura DeBruler: The only outside hitter in the group, the 5-foot-10 DeBruler brings the Illini a talented and energetic wing player.

“(Laura) has the ability to play all around and be one of the best defensive players we have ever had here, and at the same time be one of our best blockers and outside attackers,” Hardin said.

Johannah Bangert: A St. Louis native, Bangert is a two-time all-state selection in Missouri and among one of the top blockers in the country. Bangert has also excelled in track and is a two-time state qualifier in that sport.

“(Johannah) is a true middle in the sense that she has the speed and jumping ability to block all the spots on the net,” Hardin said. “She also has a tremendous amount of energy and brings great fire to the court.”

Nicole Kump: An offensive star in high school, Hardin believes Kump may be Illinois’ most skilled recruit at this point. Like Haen, her early commitment helped spur the signings of much of the rest of the recruiting class.

“She’s the most versatile (player) in the class,” Hardin said. “Nicole is a great chemistry builder. Her teammates will love her wherever she plays.”

Amy Nelson: The tallest of Illinois’ five incoming recruits at 6-foot-3, Nelson has been named an all-state selection by both the Chicago Tribune and the News-Gazette.

“Abby is the physical player in the group,” Hardin said. “She reminds us of where Rachel VanMeter was at her age. She is also an extremely competitive kid.”

Overall, Hardin expects this group, along with Illinois’ remaining scholarship players, to help lead the program back to national prominence. “If we didn’t get these players this year, we weren’t going to be able to get this thing turned around,” he said. “We’ve been struggling recently, and that really hurts me, especially as an alum.”

Hardin added, “More than anything else, my career even, I knew we had to restore our reputation. We had to be able to reach Chicago, to recruit there. We’ve finally been able to do that and hopefully it carries over.”