NEWTON – When talk turns to Little Illini Conference volleyball, the conversation usually begins with the Newton Lady Eagles.
More often than not, it ends with them, too.
In eight of the last nine seasons, Newton has either shared or won outright the LIC championship, interrupted only in the COVID-delayed 2020 season played in the spring of 2021 when Paris and Flora were co-champs. After sharing the title with Robinson and Mt. Carmel in 2022 and 2023, it was an outright championship last fall for long-time coach Jill Kistner’s team. The Eagles finished with a perfect 7-0 record in league play, and were 32-7 overall, reaching the Class 2A Sectional finals.
Kistner, set to begin her 13th season at the helm, has a coaching mark of 322-107 (.751), including a third-place finish in the IHSA Class 2A state tournament in 2017.
