847.628.1574
Coaching Honors
3 All-CCAC Selections
10 All-CCAC Academic Selections
2 NAIA Scholar-Athlete
2 NCCAA Scholar-Athlete
Looking to continue and build up the volleyball program, Jill Pearce enters her third year as the head coach. She has brought in several new players in two years that have built up a new foundation.
The 2010 season brought two NCCAA All-Region selections in Carly Campioni and Carissa Oelke. Campioni was also selected to the All-CCAC second-team. Pearce also had seven CCAC All-Academic players and on NAIA/NCCAA scholar-athlete. Judson finished the season competing to play in the CCAC Tournament as they fell in a five-set match, 3-2, to Purdue-North Central.
In her first season in 2009, she went 8-26 and improved the team wins total by one from the 2008 season. The eight wins do not show the progress the team made as Judson pushed several teams in the CCAC and played seven matches that went five games going 3-4 in those matches. They also gave CCAC leading St. Francis their first CCAC loss of the season. She also produced two All-CCAC players in Deb Leganski and Carissa Oelke.
Pearce stepped in to take over the program as the 12th head coach for the program in January 2009 after Craig Vlietstra stepped down. She had coached one season as his assistant before stepping in to take over the program.
"Jill has done an excellent job as an assistant for the Judson volleyball program and has definitely earned the head coaching position," says Director of Athletics Nancy Binger. "Her enthusiasm and dedication to the program has been evident already. She is a great addition to our staff."
Pearce has many years of coaching as she steps into her first collegiate head coaching position. She came to Judson after being an assistant coach at Crystal Lake South High School in Crystal Lake, Ill. She helped coach the teams to an Illinois Regional Championship in 2003 and 2006 while also winning the Aurora Tournament Championship in 2006.
Along with high school coaching experience, she has spent several years in club volleyball. She has coached for both the Sky High and Fusion volleyball clubs. She has coached and assisted with teams that have played at the Junior Olympics, Junior Olympics Invitational, AAU National Championships, and the JVDA National Tournament. In 2003, she coached her 15-Black club team to a fourth place finish at the Northern Lights Qualifier Tournament.
Playing collegiately at Beloit College, Pearce was a four-year starter and letter winner. She was a three-time all-Conference selection, four-time academic all-Conference, and was named to the Edgewood College All-Tournament team. She was also voted the captain of her team, rookie of the year, and twice voted the best offensive player. She played high school volleyball at Crystal Lake South where she received the team blocking award. In 1995, her team finished second at the Illinois State Tournament and in 1996 there were in the Elite Eight.
Pearce was married in July 2008 and resides in Crystal Lake, Ill., with her husband, Jamie, and daughter Jordynn (1). She received her bachelor's in education from Beloit College in 2002 and in earned a master's in teaching and leadership from St. Xavier University in 2006. She is currently a third grade teacher in Crystal Lake and the sister of former Judson volleyball player, Carly Campioni.
