Coaches Council

Kristy Duncan

Head Coach, Women’s Volleyball
SWA
Loras College
2016 WCA Graduate, Class #40

Kristy Duncan was named head women’s volleyball coach and senior woman administrator at Loras College in January 2020, after six seasons at the helm of the Illinois College volleyball program. In 2019, Duncan was promoted and is an Assistant Athletics Director in addition to her role as Head Volleyball Coach.

In each of Duncan’s first three seasons, the Lady Blues improved on their win total from the year before. In 2015, Lisa Lowry was a Second Team All-Midwest Conference selection, becoming the first IC player to merit all-conference honors since 2011. Lowry then earned First Team All-MWC honors in 2016 while the Lady Blues turned in their first winning season since 2005.

A young team featuring just one senior turned in a 13-16 season in 2017. However, the future showed much promise for the Lady Blues as sophomore Ali Pankey turned in one of the best offensive seasons in program history, earning First Team All-MWC honors in the process. Fellow sophomore Elizabeth Ganley was a Second Team All-MWC setter.

The promise of 2017 was fulfilled in 2018 when the Lady Blues recorded their highest winning percentage in a single season since 1996. Illinois College made its first trip to the MWC Tournament since 2006 and ended the year at 22-7. Pankey again earned First Team All-MWC honors and was joined by Ganley on the first team. Maddie Ramsey was a Second Team All-MWC selection.

Duncan came to Illinois College from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington where she was the assistant volleyball coach since 2010. While at IWU she also served as an assistant to the athletic director. Duncan started her coaching career in the high school ranks, serving as head volleyball coach at Tolono (Ill.) Unity High School from 2002 through 2010. During that time, she accumulated a 182-93 record and led the 2008 team to the best finish in school history.

Duncan has a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Illinois State University and a Master of Science degree in recreation, sport and tourism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.