Charles Rodman built one of Illinois’ most accomplished volleyball programs during 28 seasons at Belleville West, compiling an 815-164-2 record and leading his teams to 20 regional championships, 18 sectional titles and 15 Elite Eight appearances. His Maroons captured consecutive IHSA State Championships in 1990 and 1991 and finished third in 2004.

Rodman later contributed to two NCAA Division III national championships at Washington University in St. Louis and was named the 2010 NCAA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year. His decades of achievement and service earned him induction into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.  Read more.

Across more than 35 years in education and athletics, Jennie Kull distinguished herself as a coach, teacher, administrator and mentor. As St. Charles East’s head girls volleyball coach from 1997-2022, she led the Saints to IHSA State Championships in 2001 and 2008, three additional state trophies, 13 conference championships, 21 regional titles and 10 sectional championships.

A two-time Illinois Girls Coaches Association Volleyball Coach of the Year, Kull also coached at the high school and collegiate levels. Her career reflects a commitment to developing successful programs while teaching student-athletes teamwork, discipline, perseverance and accountability.  Read more.

Joann Pyritz devoted 35 years to Lyons Township High School as an administrator, teacher and volleyball coach, building championship programs for both girls and boys. Her girls teams earned more than 800 victories, highlighted by IHSA State Championships in 1989 and 2010 and a runner-up finish in 2009. She added more than 580 wins with the boys program and led Lyons Township to 26 West Suburban Conference titles.

Named PrepVolleyball’s 2011 National High School Coach of the Year, Pyritz also earned IHSA Coach of the Year honors in both girls and boys volleyball and served on the IHSA Girls Volleyball Advisory Committee. Her success across both programs and her service to Illinois high school volleyball highlights the breadth of her Hall of Fame career.  Read more.

For 21 years, Josh Landon has helped build a tradition of excellence at Cissna Park, surpassing 500 career victories and leading the Timberwolves to five IHSA State Tournament appearances, including the 2025 Class 1A State Championship. His teams have also earned nine conference, 11 regional and six sectional titles.

Landon’s impact begins well before high school through more than 15 years coaching in the Cissna Park junior high program. An athletic director, former IHSA Volleyball Advisory Committee member and IVCA conference representative, Landon was named the 2025-26 IHSA Girls Volleyball Coach of the Year.  Read more.

Abby Hanger has elevated Belleville East volleyball throughout her six seasons as head coach, guiding the Lancers to historic milestones including five consecutive 20-win seasons, back-to-back 30-win seasons, their first conference championship in 20 years and consecutive Regional titles.

An AVCA Thirty Under 30 honoree, Hanger also serves as High Performance Illinois Volleyball director, helping grow the game throughout Southern Illinois. Her commitment extends beyond winning, as she has built a culture centered on excellence, accountability and developing confident competitors, strong teammates and leaders on and off the court.  Read more.

For more than 24 years, Rob Oesterle chronicled high school athletics across Illinois with professionalism, passion and a deep commitment to the communities he covered. His volleyball reporting brought local athletes’ accomplishments to life through thoughtful, detailed storytelling.

Through the Morris Daily Herald, Joliet Herald-News and Shaw Media, Oesterle became a trusted presence among athletes, coaches and families. Following his passing on October 20, 2026, his legacy lives on through the countless stories he preserved and the meaningful relationships he built throughout Illinois high school sports.  Read more.

For more than five decades, Nancy Nester has made an enduring impact on volleyball officiating. During her 52 years as an IHSA official, including 31 years officiating Division I collegiate volleyball, she has worked numerous IHSA Girls and Boys State Finals and served more than 20 years as Officials’ Coordinator for the Boys State Finals.

Nester is also an IHSA-certified clinician and rules interpreter, assigns officials for five Chicago-area conferences and was a founding member of the ZONI Volleyball Officials Association. Her remarkable career reflects a lifelong commitment to volleyball, its officials and its community.  Read more.