Volleyball Coaches

Mike Trame - Head Coach

The 2007 season was Head Coach Mike Trame’s 4th season with the Cobras. He ran his career record at Parkland to 157-61 as the Cobras posted a 39-13 mark in 2007. Trame’s team in 2007 was ranked in the top 10 in the nation for most of the season, won the Kalamazoo and Owens Invitationals, and were undefeated Midwest Athletic Conference Champions for the 12th consecutive season. Coach Trame just finished a 2 year term as NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association Vice-President. He also serves on the 2-year Coaches Committee for the American Volleyball Coaches Association and is the 2 year coaches Awards Chairman for the AVCA.

Trame’s teams compiled a record of 81-16 in three seasons as the head coach at St Joseph-Ogden High School. While at SJO, Trame led the Spartans to the Elite 8 in 2001 and was a Sectional finalist in 2003, finishing with a 30-2 record. Prior to coaching at SJO, he was the head coach at Gibson City-Melvin Sibley High School from 1997-2000 where he helped the Falcons to a 71-50 record. He has a career high school record of 146-73 and is also the Club Director of the Illini Drive volleyball club and serves as one of the directors of the University of Illinois Volleyball Camps. Mike and his wife Michelle have two children, Stephanie (6), Mackenzie (4) and live in St. Joseph.

Office: P204
Telephone: 217/373-3758
Email: mtrame@parkland.edu

Chandra Steers

Assistant Coach

Chandra Steers enters her second season as assistant volleyball coach. She was a top contributor on Parkland’s 1999 national championship team. After a redshirt season in 2000, she also helped the Cobras return to the national tournament with a 6th place finish in 2001. She was also named an honorable mention All-American that season. After finishing her career at Parkland, she went on to player for former Parkland head coach, Brenda Winkeler.

Coach Steers has coached high school at Macon High School and club for Top Spin Volleyball Club. This season, Coach Steers, is the offensive assistant. Her main duties include hitter training and blocking responsibilities. She also helps with travel planning and the administration of the team. Chandra and her husband Eric currently reside in Farmer City.

Vernon Podlewski

Assistant Coach

Vern Podlewski joins the Parkland volleyball staff after finishing his professional volleyball playing career in Germany this past year. He was the libero for a team in Leipzig, Germany from 2006 to 2008 and a team in Bucuresti, Romania from 2005 to 2006. Before playing professionally, Podlewski spent a 3 year term with the US National Men’s Volleyball team where he trained in Colorado Springs from 2003 to 2005 and was the alternate libero for the 2004 Olympic team. Prior to his national team experience, Vern spent 2 years at the University of Hawaii where his team won the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship in 2002 and he was named the 2nd team All-American libero that season. His volleyball roots are also embedded in the community college realm, as the first two years of his collegiate career were spent playing for Santa Barbara City College in California. Podlewski currently resides in Auburn, IL with his wife Sara and their infant daughter Maile.

Heather Horn

Assistant Coach

Horn was a setter on the University of Illinois' Volleyball 1997-2000 teams, making a trip to the NCAA tournament three years, and reaching the Sweet 16 in 1998. During her successful volleyball career at Illinois, Horn was the recipient of the 2001 Sandy Scholtens Award, a three-time recipient of Scholar Athlete Award, Academic All Big Ten, and the 2001 George Huff recipient. Horn served as the Head Coach for the Saint Thomas More Sabers in the 2006 and 2007 seasons. During the 2007 season, the Lady Sabers won their Conference, as well as the Conference Tournament. Horn joined the Parkland coaching staff in 2005 and worked primarily with the Cobra setters and recruiting. Prior to Parkland, Coach Horn served as the Head Coach at Rantoul High School for four seasons, finishing 23-5 in the 2004 season. Horn received her Masters’ degree from the University of Illinois Institute of Labor & Industrial Relations in 2003 and currently serves as the Human Resources Manager for Campus Recreation at the University of Illinois. She is also one of the directors of Primetime Volleyball Club.

Kristin Opperman

Student Manager

2008 - 2009 Volleyball Team Roster

No.	Name	Position	Height	Year	High School/Hometown
1	Jeni Sykes	S	5'8"	FR	Case H.S/Racine, WI
2	Paige Lay	OH	5'7"	FR	Normal Community H.S. / Normal, IL
4	Brittany Fallis	DS	5'5"	SO	Yorktown HS/Muncie, IN
5	Molly Elderbrook	DS	5'4"	FR	Burlington H.S. / Burlington, WI
7	Jessica Wood	MB	5'10"	SO	Ishpeming HS/Ishpeming, MI
9	Kylie Cavanah	S	5'9"	SO	Galesburg HS/Galesburg, IL
12	Samantha Larson	OH	6'0"	SO	Lincoln-Way Central HS/New Lenox, IL
13	Lucy Coleman	MB/OH	5'11"	FR	Monticello H.S. / Monticello, IL
14	Katie Knott	OH	5'11"	SO	Providence Catholic HS/New Albany, IN
15	Jaclyn Meado	MB	6'0"	SO	Routt Catholic HS/Jacksonville, IL
17	Jessica Redden	MB	6'1"	SO	St. Joseph-Ogden HS/St. Joseph, IL
18	Cayla Roberts	DS	5'3"	SO	Urbana H.S. / Urbana, IL
20	Alyssa Elmore	MB	5'11"	FR	Chatham-Glenwood H.S. / Pawnee, IL
22	Sarah Berlatsky	DS	5'4"	FR	Rantoul H.S. / Thomasboro, IL

Parkland College • 2400 West Bradley Avenue • Champaign, IL 61821 • 217/351-2200 • 800/346-8089
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