Eureka Names Bethany Dulle Head Volleyball Coach

EUREKA, Ill. – Former Millikin assistant coach and Bloomington, Ill. native Bethany Dulle (pronounced DOO-lee) has been named the new volleyball head coach at Eureka College, according to an announcement from Director of Athletics Paul Bryant on Wednesday. Dulle will assume her duties immediately and become the 10th head coach in program history.

"I am very pleased to welcome Bethany Dulle to the Eureka College athletics family as our new volleyball head coach," Bryant said. "Coach Dulle has experienced tremendous collegiate volleyball success both as a student-athlete and assistant coach. I am confident that trend will continue as she begins her career as a head coach at Eureka College."

In two seasons as an assistant coach at Millikin, Dulle helped direct the Big Blue to a College Conference of Illinois Wisconsin (CCIW) regular season championship in 2010 and back-to-back appearances in the semifinals of the CCIW Tournament. Millikin went 47-27 (.635) during the previous two seasons, and the head coach of Dulle's former staff, Debbie Kiick, was named CCIW Coach of the Year in 2010. In addition to the success experienced at the varsity level at Millikin, Dulle guided the Big Blue junior varsity squad to an undefeated CCIW record in 2009 and a CCIW junior varsity tournament title in 2010.

Dulle experienced a decorated high school career at Mount Pulaski High School in Mount Pulaski, Ill. from 2000-03. She led the Lady Toppers to 113 victories over her final three seasons and back-to-back runner-up finishes in the IHSA Class A Tournament in 2002 and 2003. During her senior season in 2003, Dulle was named Second Team All-State by the Chicago Tribune and earned Bloomington Pantagraph Player of the Year honors. She also earned all-tournament honors at the IHSA state finals as a junior while also garnering Player of the Year honors from the Decatur Herald, Springfield Journal and Bloomington Pantagraph as a junior in 2002.

Dulle began her collegiate volleyball career at Division I Bradley in Peoria, Ill. in 2004 before playing two seasons at NAIA Marian University in Indianapolis, Ind. She compiled 839 kills and 49 service aces and led the Knights to 39 victories in her two seasons, and her 4.0 kills per set in 2006 ranked 21st nationally among NAIA players. Including her Division I numbers at Bradley, Dulle finished her collegiate career with 950 kills and 69 service aces in 314 sets played. She earned a bachelor's degree in sports management from Marian in 2008.

"I'm excited to be at Eureka College and to get started with the Red Devils," Dulle said. "I hope to pass on my knowledge and passion for the game to my players and the community here in Eureka."

In addition to her previous duties at Millikin, Dulle has coached at Mount Pulaski High School and Mount Pulaski Junior High School since the 2008 season. She has also coached at the club volleyball level for the Mount Pulaski-based Central Illini since 2008.

The Red Devils compiled a 9-23 record last season, including a 5-11 mark and a sixth place finish in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. Dulle replaces Sandi Kelley, who resigned last spring after four seasons as head coach.

Courtesy Eureka College sports information