Barclay takes over as head coach for Barton women’s basketball

Barclay takes over as head coach for Barton women's basketball
For the 2nd time in 2 years the Barton County Community College women's basketball team will have a new head coach. Thanks to the success of the Cougars in the past few years, the team will have its 3rd coach in 3 seasons, naming Jill Barclay as the school's 10th head coach. Barclay has taken over the duties pending the approval of the school's Board of Trustees Tuesday during its June meeting. Barclay replaces Chance Lindley, who led Barton to a 34-4 mark this past season before taking an assistant coaching job at the University of Arizona.

Barclay comes to Barton from Lincoln Land College, where she guided the Loggers the past 4 seasons – the last 2 of which saw her team play in November classics at Barton. Her 4-year stint with the Loggers produced an 80-49 mark. In her initial season at Lincoln Land, Barclay posted the school's 1st winning season in 20 years.

"I am very excited to have hired Jill as Barton's next women's basketball coach," Barton Athletic Director Kurt Kohler said. "She is an excellent coach and wonderful person. The success she has experienced at Lincoln Land Community College demonstrates her knowledge of the game and her commitment of caring for her student-athletes."

While Barclay lists several reasons for wanting the challenge at Barton, she is clear on what her goal while at the school will be – to win a national championship.

"I want to win a national championship," Barclay said. "I will win a national championship. I am committed to put the work in to do that. Barton will give me the opportunity to do that. I was part of a national championship when I played in junior college and I won a national championship in Tae Kwon Do sparring. It is only right that as a coach I want to pursue a national championship as well."

During her 1st season with the Loggers, Lincoln Land went 18-14 earning the 1st winning season in 2 decades. The next season the Loggers made it to the Region 24 Championship game before losing to eventual NJCAA Division II Champion Illinois Central College, finishing 24-8.

During the 2006-07 campaign, the Loggers were able to get past ICC for the Region 24 title and advance to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament for the 1st time in school history. She was named the NJCAA Division II National Coach of the Year that season for District L. She also earned the IBCA Illinois Coach of the Year in 2007. This past season the Logger just missed another 20-win season, going 19-13.

Last season the Loggers split games at the Military Appreciation Classic in Barton to start the season, beating Pratt 77-69 before losing to the Cougars, 87-51. Lincoln Land did likewise 2 years ago to open the season, beating Pratt in overtime and losing to the Cougars. She was an assistant with the Springfield, Illinois school for 2 years prior to moving up to the head coach.

"Jill is taking over a nationally prominent program, and I believe she is the right person to continue that success," Kohler said.

"My desire to coach here was not only due to the success of both head coaches before me, but also that I really enjoy the people here," Barclay said. "I had the opportunity to talk with both Coach Lord and Coach Lindley when we played here as well as get to know some people and there are some great people here.

"Kurt Kohler, the athletic director, is one of the biggest reasons why I took this job. He is a great individual doing great things to put Barton in high prestige nationally. I have a lot of respect for him. And the exposure to place student athletes is a huge asset. The resources to recruit are very good here."

Barclay began her coaching career at the University of Illinois at Springfield as an assistant for 3 seasons before taking the assistant's job at Lincoln Land. UI-Springfield is also where Barclay received her Bachelor Degree. She graduated from Richwoods High School in Peoria, Ill.

She played her freshman season for Illinois Central College when that club won the NJCAA Division II tournament in 1999 under Coach Lorene Ramsey.