Lafferty resigns as Illini West volleyball coach after seven seasons at helm
CARTHAGE, Ill. — Dakota Lafferty’s investment in her players, her program and her sport is nearly impossible to match.
Finding someone who can is the challenge the Illini West administration faces.
Illini West athletic director Grant Surprenant confirmed Lafferty submitted her resignation Tuesday night and the players were informed of the decision Wednesday afternoon. Lafferty spent seven seasons at the helm, compiling a 174-67 record.
She bookended her tenure with Class 2A regional titles, beating Knoxville 25-20, 25-20 for the crown in 2017 and knocking off Peoria Notre Dame 25-17, 25-14 last fall. The Chargers went on to beat Petersburg PORTA in a three-set thriller in the sectional semifinals last November before falling to Pleasant Plains in the championship.
Illini West finished the 2023 season with a 35-5 record, setting the single-season school mark for victories. It was the second 30-win season of Lafferty’s tenure.
Her teams won 24 or more matches in each of the last five full seasons, and the Chargers were 13-3 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
The Chargers are capable of making another postseason run next fall, returning middle blocker Madelyn Boyer and outside hitter Reagan Reed to build around.
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