All Access with junior outfielder Angela Danca.

What did you do over spring break?

Softball, Softball, Softball. We were here all break. We actually went to (Indiana-Purdue- Indianapolis) so we actually got out of Charleston for a few hours. Otherwise, we were at practice for three hours a day working on things that we needed to work on. Other than that we were playing games.

In the past what has been your favorite spring break trip?

Honestly, all of my spring breaks have involved softball. Since I’ve been here my favorite would be when we went to California. We went to San Francisco, Calif., and we were able to see the Golden Gate Bridge and it was really fun.

Are there any family trips that stick out in your mind?

Whenever we did travel it was in a seven-passenger van with all seven of us. Any time we traveled it would be in a van for two weeks at a time. We went to Niagara Falls and a bunch of other different places. Those were always fun. There’s never a dull moment with seven people in the car.

How many siblings do you have, and how close are you with your family?

I have four siblings, three sisters and one brother. We’re a pretty close family. We all know what’s going on in each other’s lives and support each other in everything that we do.

What is you favorite non-sports activity?

Photography. I want to go into athletics, but (photography) is something I want to get into on my own. Hopefully, when I’m older I can have my own little photography business.

What first got you interested in photography?

To be honest I’m not really sure. I’ve always just had a point-and-shoot camera and have been interested in taking an obscene amount of pictures of anything that I can. You could ask anyone and they would tell you I would have my camera with me.

You said you want to go into athletics, could you elaborate on that?

I would love to be an athletic director. And if I don’t get to the point I want to do something in athletics, like be a coach. But I’m hoping I can get to that athletic director point.

Recently around campus, we’ve had a Facebook threat issue, and an armed robbery from which two people have been arrested. Do you feel that the safety on Eastern’s campus has been compromised at all?

No. I didn’t really hear much about those. So I didn’t think it was that big a deal. It was handled right away, so I don’t think anyone should be worried about safety on campus.

What is your favorite building on campus?

I would have to say Old Main, the castle. It’s very cool looking. You don’t see many buildings that look like that. I don’t have many classes in there anymore, I just like the look of the building.

You were a medical red-shirt last year, what happened in that game, and how did that affect your playing career?

It was pretty early in the year, actually just over a year since it happened. I was stealing second and sliding in feet first. When the shortstop came to get the ball she ran into me. It flipped me completely on to my stomach and thumb went down, bent back, dislocated and broke.

You’re ninth on the eastern all time steals list, how important is stealing to your game?

Every time I’m on base I’m waiting for that sign from coach to let me go. When you have the speedies on your team, that’s our job. To get on base and steal second and then let our big hitters hit us in. I know what my job is, and that’s to steal bases.

What’s your favorite home cooked meal?

Since I’m Italian I like anything that’s Italian. I like spaghetti or just plain chicken. I’m very simple, so just chicken.

What’s your favorite restaurant?

I don’t know if it’s really considered a restaurant, but Panera Bread is one of my favorite places to eat. I like the Italian combo sandwich on a plain bagel.

Where is you favorite place to go with your friends back in your hometown of Naperville?

We pretty much just go to the movies or hang out at each other’s houses. Or downtown Naperville, it’s a very happening place when everyone is back in town, like the Riverwalk.

What is your favorite thing to do on campus other than playing softball?

Going and watching the other sports. We do a lot of Panther Pride games where we go as a team and support the other athletics. So going and watching basketball games, and rugby and baseball – all of them.

What is your favorite thing about Eastern?

The athletics. It’s huge, it’s what I want to go into, and what I’m most interested in.

What was your number one reason for choosing Eastern?

The coach was a big one. The team together, the girls on the team. Eastern is not huge, but it’s not small either. You can get anywhere by walking within 15 minutes. You can see certain people twice a week, but you meet a lot of new people.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Halloween, because its fun to get dressed up and have a good time with your friends on campus, and Christmas, because I get to see all my family. My sister and her husband are in the army, so I don’t get to see them very often so it’s great to see them.

What are your plans for next year?

Because I’m a medical red*shirt, athletically I’m a junior, so I get to use my scholarship to pay for my master’s next year, and I still get to play.

If you weren’t playing softball today, what sport would you be playing?

I would really like to be doing gymnastics. I did it for five months maybe, but I feel like it would be really cool to do. I give a lot of credit to those people.

Quick Hits

Breakfast Cereal: Honey Nut Cheerios

Sports team: Chicago Cubs

Artist: Taylor Swift

Movie: “A League of Their Own”

TV Show: “Home Improvement”

Color: Blue

Book: Of Mice and Men

You’re stuck on a desert island, what are the three things you cannot live without?

My family, my camera, and my phone, but I wouldn’t really need it if my family was there.

Richard Morse can be reached at 581-7944 or at rjmorse@eiu.edu.

Just over a year ago, junior outfielder Angela Danca injured her thumb sliding into second base. Now, Danca wears a brace to protect her thumb when she plays. (Erin Matheny/The Daily Eastern News)

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