Over the last four seasons, the Illinois softball senior trio of Meredith Hackett, Danielle Vaji and Kelley Wedel have started a combined 437 games. In that span, the Illini have gone 110-56, with plenty of games left on their schedule this year.

“Meredith and Kelley have started almost every game in their careers,” head coach Terri Sullivan said. “Any coach will tell you that there is nothing like experience. They’ve been there, done that and hopefully they can pass it on to their teammates.”

That experience has provided for nearly 40 percent of the Illini’s hits so far this season. Hackett herself has contributed 20 knocks, including four doubles and three home runs.

“It’s a personal decision,” Wedel said. “You want to show that you have experience on the field to the younger players. A bunch of us have played for four years together, and I feel like the coaches put the responsibility of adopting the game plan on us.”

Wedel, the Illini’s starting third baseman, shares time in the leadoff spot with Vaji, who plays multiple positions. Wedel leads the team with three stolen bases, and Vaji’s .400 on-base percentage is good enough for third on the team.

“Being a senior comes as a natural leadership position,” Vaji said. “But it’s also an expectation from your teammates and your coaches to fill that role.”

These seniors anchor a lineup full of underclassmen. The Illini (9-9) frequently start five freshmen and sophomores each game. Each of the three starting seniors has her own way of showing leadership on and off the field.

“Meredith has always had a motherly leadership about her away from the field,” Sullivan said. “When she talks, people listen, and they know she’s serious. She can give you that look that your mother gives you when you’re in trouble.”

Although Vaji and Wedel have similar playing styles, there is no question which one is the more vocal of the pair.

“Kelley’s never been at a loss for words ever,” Sullivan said. “She definitely talks a lot out there on the field. And Danielle is a great chemistry player because she reaches out to everyone and makes everyone fit together.”

Vaji, who underwent season-ending knee injury her sophomore year, has another year of eligibility left. As the Illini move closer to the Big Ten portion of their schedule, she and her teammates appear to be heading in the right direction.

“As we’ve played on we’ve gotten more aggressive,” Vaji said. “Each tournament, we’ve picked it up. We’ve been working more as a team. We haven’t had as much long-ball this year. So we’ve been working on just getting runners on and then being productive with them on.”

The seniors should be looking to finish their final season together on a high note. The Illini will finish their tournament season this weekend, and then open Big Ten play against Minnesota the following weekend.

“Their goal, come conference play, should be to make this the best year of their careers,” Sullivan said.