Who are Illinois’ winningest girls high school coaches? Here’s an updated list

Mother McAuley coach and Sports Performance VBC/Illprepvb.com Hall of Fame member Jen DeJarld joined the 600-win club this season. (Photo by Dave Ruggles)


Editor’s note: Our thanks to Brian Smith through whose extensive research these numbers were updated and verified. He is currently working on a list of programs that have achieved 1,000 victories. According to Smith, one such program that joined that list this fall is Pleasant Plains, which began the 2023 season, its 50th, with 999 wins, 478 losses and one tie.

(updated, 12:40 p.m., Wednesday, September 27).

Coaching Records Updated Through 2022-23 Season
Most Matches Won, Career

# [1.] 1,248 Peg Kopec, Wheaton (St. Francis), 1974-85; 1987-2015 (1,248-260-2) .827.

# [2.] 1,159*, Donna Dulle, Mt. Pulaski, 1981-2021 Spring (1128-389) .744; Downs (Tri-Valley), 2022 (31-4-1) .875; Overall (1159-393-1) .747.

# [3.] 1,046, Fred Rakers, Breese (Mater Dei), 1976-2010 (1,046-200-7) .838.

# [4.]  1,045, Nancy Lill, Wheeling, 1983-85 (68-37) .568; Arlington Heights (Hersey), 1988-2021 (977-292-5) .769; Overall (1045-329-5) .759.

 # [5.] 1,002*, Mark Haberkorn, Lostant, 1982-1986 (104-22) .825; LaSalle (L.-Peru), 1988-1991; 1994-2022 (898-258-18) .772; Overall (1,002-280-18) .778.

 # [6.] 965, Teri Paul, Colchester, 1982-2002 (538-192-1) .737; Sciota (West Prairie), 2003-21 (427-245-9) .634; Overall (965-437-10) .687.

# [7.] 963, Julia Hudson, Lockport (Township), 1980-2011 (857-371-3) .697; Evansville, Indiana (North), 2012-2019 (106-145) .422; Overall (963-516-3) .651.

# [8.] 941, Kristy Pierce, Shannon, 1982-85 ( 73-23) .760; Lanark (Eastland), 1986-2015 (868-183-10) .823; Overall (941-206-10) .818.

# [9.] 933, Helen Dulle, Springfield (Sacred Heart), 1972-1987; Springfield (Sacred Heart-Griffin), 1988-2006, partial 2008; (933-265-2) .778.

# [10.] 930, Fran Struble, Carlinville, 1980-2017 (930-279) .769.

# [11.] 919, Nan Airola, New Lenox (Providence Catholic), 1973-2010 (919-349-1) .725.

# [12.] 887, Jean Field, Elmhurst (Immaculate Conception), 1973-74, 1977-2013 (887-476-7), .647.

# [13.] 848, Rich Meyer, Camp Point (Central), 1980-2004 (573-249) .697; Barry, 2004 (19-10); Kinderhook (West-Pike) (Coop), 2005 (15-12); Quincy (Notre Dame), 2011-2017 (204-59-1) .774; Liberty, 2018 (16-15) .516; Mendon (Unity), 2019 (25-12) .676; Career (848-355-1) .705.

# [14.] 829, Nancy Wichgers Pedersen, Madison (Memorial), 1977-1982; Chicago (Mother McAuley), 1983-2004 (829-112) .881.

# [15.] 825, Jeanette Pancratz, Chicago (Resurrrection), 1980-87 (208-35) .856; Schaumburg, 1989-2016 (617-427); Career (825-462) .641.

# [16.] 820, Joann Pyritz, LaGrange (Lyons), 1989-2017 (820-305) .729.

# [17.] 815, Charles Rodman, Belleville (West), 1977-2005 (815-164-2) .832.

# [18.] 782, Doug Blundy, Crystal Lake (Central), 1984-2010 (782-188) .806.

# [19.] 779, Jennifer Kull, Champaign (Central), 1986-89 (49-69) .415; St Charles (East) 1992-2023 (730-254) .742; Overall (779-323) .707.

# [20.] 765, Linda Vivona, Chicago (Lourdes), 1981-88; Burbank (Queen of Peace), 1991-95; New Lenox (Lincoln Way), 1996-2000; Frankfort (Lincoln-Way East), 2001-2015 (342-223) .605.

[21.] 763, Cheryl Ballinger, Saunemin, 1980-81 (28-10) .737; Pleasant Plains, 1983-2016 (735-345) .681; Overall (763-355) .683.

# [22.] 739*, Jennifer Hayes, Hartsburg (H.-Emden), 1995-2022 (739-279) .726.

# [23.] 734*, Hannah Hsieh, Winnetka (New Trier), 1996-2022 (734-259) .739.

# [24.] 732*, Patty Langanis, Cary (C-Grove), 1995-2022 (732-294-1) .713.

[25 tie.] 705*, Stefanie Otto, Cary (C-Grove), 1991-92 (44-25-2) .634; Crystal Lake (Prairie Ridge), 1997-2022 (661-287) .697; Overall (705-312-2) .693.

[25 tie.} 705, Marvin Leavitt, St Charles East, 1987-96, Elgin St. Edward, 1999-2003, Burlington Central, 2005-2015.

[27.] 692*, Stan Bergman, Rantoul, 1998 (29-5) .853; Champaign (Centennial), 1999-2013 (427-140-4) .751; Champaign (St. Thomas More), 2015-2018 (129-30) .811; Mahomet (M.-Seymour), 2019-2022 (107-20) .843; Overall (692-195-4) .776.

[28.] 676, Marianne Larimer, Bement, 1981-82; Arcola, 1983-84; Casey (C.-Westfield), 1986-2001; Effingham (St. Anthony), 2004-09; Strasburg (Stewardson-S.), 2010-11; Career (676-231).

# [29.] 673, Larry Sample, Jacksonville (H.S.), 1978-99 (588-131) .818; Chatham (Glenwood), 2006-08 (85-29) .746; Overall (673-160) .808.

[30.] 664*, Tim Kerr, Augusta (Southeastern), 1997-2022 (664-256-1) .722.

# [31.] 656, Peggy Scholten, Hoffman Estates (Conant), 1977-2013.

# [32.] 640*, Brad Baker, Addison (Trail), 2003-2006 (85-58) .590; Lisle (Benet Academy), 2007-2022 (555-64) .897; Overall (640-122) .840.

[33.] 632, Darla Moldenhauer, Bradley (B-Bourbonnais) ,1973-1978, 1980-1987, 1989-2004 (632-300-19) .675.

[34.] 629, Tony Phelps, Waterloo, Iowa (Walnut Ridge), 1986-93; Benton, 1998-2014 (476-148-7).

# [35.] 626, Ric Krebs, Naperville (North), 1975-2003 (626-239-32) .716.

[36.] 623, Jim Cook, Trenton (Wesclin), 1986-93 (102-67-1) .603; Breese (Central), 1995-2012 (521-152) .774; Career (623-219-1) .740.

[37.] 620, Cathy Black, Norris City-Omaha-Enfield, 1974-2004 (620-247) .715.

[38.] 610*, Sue (Lotz) Amendt, Milledgeville, 1999-2000 (56-12) .770; Lena (L.-Winslow), 2001-2022 (554-239) .699; Overall (610-251) .709.

[39.] 604, Christine Trzyna, Libertyville, 1985, 1987-2008 (604-239).

[40 tie.] 602, Linda Marable, Darien (Hinsdale South), 1972-2004 (602-328).

# [40 tie.] 602, Christine Schiebe, Joliet (Catholic Academy), 2000-2021 (602-198-10).

[42.] 600, Tim Murphy, West Frankfort, 1980-2013 (600-349) .632.

# [43.] 594*, Jen DeJarld, Chicago (Mother McAuley), 2005-2022 (594-108) .846.

# [44.] 591*, Joe Sanders, Bloomington (H.S.), 1998-2022 (591-293-1) .668.

# [45.] 592, Lori Trippi-Payne, Batavia, 1987-2019 (592-524-17) .530.

[46.] 581, Mary Brimberry, Farina (South Central), 1994-2013, 2015-2019 (581-210-1) .734.

[47 tie.] 580, Debbie Klock, Kirkland (Hiawatha), 1990-94; Sycamore 1995-2012 (490-173-10)

[47 tie.] 580, Karen Raney, Elgin (St. Edward), 1985-86 (33-22) .600; Seneca, 1987-2016 (547-435-38) .555; Overall (580-457-38) .557.

[49.] 578, Mike Layne, Sheldon (1994-1997); Murphysboro, 1998-2009, 2011-2018 (519-192-4) .729; Pinckneyville, (2021) 21-3 .875.

[50.] 574, Kelly Simon, Braidwood (Reed Custer), 1994-2000 (153-82); Naperville (Neuqua Valley), 2001-2021 (421-264); Career (574-346) .624.

[51.]  573*, Tim Crow, Lincolnshire (Stevenson), 2002-2022 (573-208) .734.

[52.]  564*, Chris Zogata, Lemont (H.S.), 2000-2022 (564-239-8) .700.

# [53.] 555, Tonya Grayson, Newark, 2001-2021 (555-169-2) .766.

[54.] 552, Jerry Warren, Thompsonville, 1986-1999, 2001-2021 (552-381-7) .591.

[55 tie.] 549*, Michelle Jakubowski Winnebago, 1996-1999 (53-62) .461; Lake Zurich, 2000-2005 (155-75) .674; Huntley, 2006-2011 (149-76) .662; Barrington, 2014-2022 (192-128) .600; Overall (549-341) .617.

[55 tie.] 549, Carol Schramm, Pana, 1973-2001 (549-226) .708.

[57.] 547, Sandy Griffin, Red Bud, 1973-78, 1981-2000 (547-263-5).

[58.] 544, Jennifer Gliwa-Bell, Westmont, 1987-2022 (544-573-44) .488.

[59.] 539, Mike Wilks, Decatur (Eisenhower), 1982-2001 (454-xx); Maroa (M.-Forsyth), 2002-03 (37-25) .597; Decatur (MacArthur), 2005-06 (48-22) .686.

[60 tie.] 516, Lisa Peifer, Findlay, (36-45) .444; Shelbyville, 1994-95, 1997-2005, 2009-2016 (480-246) .661; Overall (516-291) .639.

[60 tie.] 516, Barb Redeker, Watseka, 1972-2006 (516-309) .625.

[62.]  510*, Anna Marie Marassa, Chicago (De La Salle), 2002-2022 (510-199-2) .719.


* — active coach.
# — Sports Performance VBC/Illprepvb.com Hall of Fame inductee.

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