CHICAGO – UIC softball head coach Lynn Curylo announced the addition of two players to the 2021 roster on Monday. Larisa Villa from La Habra, Calif. and Dee Dee Caskey from Indianapolis, Ind. will make their way to Chicago to join the Flames for the 2021 season.



Larisa Villa
Hometown: La Habra, Calif.
High School: La Habra
Intended Position at UIC: INF
PREP/PERSONAL: Lettered all four years in softball at La Habra High School … also lettered one year in tennis … led her team to a 9-1 record her freshman and junior years and an 8-2 record her sophomore year … her team won the Freeway League in her freshman, sophomore and junior years and qualified for the CIF tournament twice …  her travel team (USA Athletics) qualified for the PGF National Premiere Tournament in 2019, where she batted .800 … was named the Defensive Player of the Year … daughter of Lance and Carol Villa … intended major at UIC is undecided.



Dee Dee Caskey
Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.
High School: Bishop Chatard
Intended Position at UIC: UTL
PREP/PERSONAL: Lettered four years in softball and golf and three years in basketball at Bishop Chatard High School … was named Academic All-State Honorable Mention in basketball and golf … awarded the MVP award her freshman year in junior varsity basketball … earned the Trojan Toughness Award in basketball and softball and the Trojan Pride Award in golf … was given the Father Higgins Award for excellence in academics and athletics … won the softball Sectional Championship in 2018 and 2019 alongside her teammates … her squad was also the City runner-up in 2017 and 2019 … named All-Circle City Conference in 2018 and 2019 … named All-City in 2018 and 2019 … earned the Team MVP Award … led her team in batting average, hits, runs, triples, contact percentage, fielding percentage and OPS in 2018 … led her squad in RBIs, runs, triples, stolen bases, contact percentage and fielding percentage in 2019 … tallied the most wins (20), triples (7) and RBIs (35) in a single season in 2019 … set the record for most runs in a single season with 36 in 2018 … owns career records in hits (124), triples (9), RBIs (82) and runs scored (90) … was the quickest player to reach 100 hits … daughter of Michael and Kelly Caskey … her father, Michael, played football and golf at Butler … her grandfather, John Helm, played basketball at Georgia Southern … her aunt, Julie Helm-Chapman played basketball at Missouri State … intended major at UIC is undecided in business.