ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis University head softball coach Christy Connoyer has announced the addition of five student-athletes to the Billikens' program. Each player will have four years of eligibility beginning in the 2021-22 academic year.
 
The new Billikens are pitcher/infielder Taylor Hochman (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East), infielder Kendall Johnson (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah), first baseman/outfielder Jane Kaniecki (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo), outfielder Natalie Sullivan (Moscow Mills, Mo./Troy Buchanan) and catcher/utility Jaci Vanderloo (Omaha, Neb./Elkhorn South).
 

Taylor Hochman
Four-year varsity player at Lincoln-Way East … in summer 2020, batted .427 with four home runs and posted a 1.96 ERA and 52 strikeouts for her Nationals 18 Gold travel team … high honor roll student every semester … member of National Honor Society, Math Honor Society and Pi Sigma Pi.
 
Coach Connoyer: "Taylor is an athlete. She has command and presence in the circle and is a solid infield defender as well. She has power in her bat and can drive the ball to all parts of the field. Taylor also excels in the classroom. She is a bright student whose intellect carries over into her strategies on the field. We're excited to welcome Taylor to the Billiken family."
 

Kendall Johnson
Varsity starter at Hononegah since her freshman year … All-Area as a sophomore, hitting .390 with team highs of 53 hits, 15 doubles, 18 stolen bases and a .455 postseason batting average … helped the Indians win regional and conference titles in her sophomore season and a conference crown in her freshman year … played travel ball with the Dennison Silverhawks, who achieved a top-20 finish at the 16U PGF Premier Nationals and second place at the 18U PGF Midwest Regional Championships … NIC-10 Scholar-Athlete … high honor roll student each semester … Illinois State Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction and Beloit College Porter Scholar … member of the High School Gifted Program.
 
Coach Connoyer: "Kendall plays with passion and enthusiasm and makes those around her better. Her athletic abilities on defense are exceptional, and she will be an offensive threat in the lineup. Kendall is a standout in the classroom and a student of the game as well. The future looks very bright for her in the Billiken softball program."
 

Jane Kaniecki
Registered a .357 batting average, a .433 on-base percentage, a .479 slugging percentage, and team highs of 36 hits and 25 RBI for her travel team, St. Louis Chaos 03 Beatty … the team was runner-up in the 2018 Junior Olympic Cup … 2020-21 Waterloo student council president … class vice president … member of National Honor Society and 4.0 Club who ranks among the top five percent in her class … recipient of the 2019 WHS Top Dog Award.
 
Coach Connoyer: "Jane is a local standout from a very competitive travel program in St. Louis. She is a competitor on the field and in the classroom. Jane's passion for the sport is extremely evident through her vocal leadership and contagious energy. That passion and her athletic skill make an exciting combination for Billiken softball."

 

Natalie Sullivan
Two-time All-State selection, three-time All-Metro honoree, and four-time All-Conference and All-District choice … posted a .500 batting average and a .636 on-base percentage … helped lead the Trojans to a state runner-up finish … recorded a .486 batting average, a .562 on-base percentage, a .642 slugging percentage, 46 RBI and 41 runs for her travel team, St. Louis Heat 03 … earned Academic All-Conference recognition … National Honor Society member … student council vice president … also competed in track and field, earning team MVP accolades.
 
Coach Connoyer: "Natalie plays the game with pure enjoyment, and her prowess at the plate will add tremendous depth to our offense. She is a smooth and powerful lefty hitter who will be a constant threat to opponents, and she is aggressive on defense. Natalie has great championship experience, especially with her high school program at Troy Buchanan. We are thrilled to welcome this outstanding student and athlete to the Billiken family."
 

Jaci Vanderloo
Earned honorable mention All-State plaudits twice and All-Conference honors three times … batted .405 while notching 21 home runs and 35 doubles … played for a Nebraska Gold travel team that placed sixth at ASA Gold Nationals … two-time Academic All-State and three-time Academic All-Conference … honor roll student … member of National Honor Society, Mayor's Youth Commission and Junior Class Board.
 
Coach Connoyer: "Jaci is a strong hitter who will provide power to our lineup. She excels in the classroom and takes that same drive and work ethic onto the softball field. Jaci is another student of the game in this recruiting class, and we are excited to welcome her to our program."