Volleyball: Crystal Lake South coach Jorie Fontana resigns after 14 years

Crystal Lake South volleyball coach Jorie Fontana resigned her position after 14 years, Gators athletic director Jason Bott announced in a statement.

Fontana was announced Tuesday as the Northwest Herald Volleyball Coach of the Year after leading the Gators to a 31-6 record and their first Fox Valley Conference championship since 2014. South also captured its first regional title since 2015 with a come-from-behind win over Woodstock North in the 3A Boylan Regional final.

[ Fall 2021 Northwest Herald Volleyball Coach of the Year: Crystal Lake South’s Jorie Fontana ]

Fontana surpassed 300 wins this fall and had a 313-180 record (.635 winning percentage) over her 14 seasons, earning four FVC, five regional and three sectional titles. South finished fourth in the Class 4A state tournament in 2013 during Fontana’s sixth year.

Fontana’s 300th career victory was recognized before a match this season at Gator Alley with Fontana’s family and past South volleyball coaches in attendance.

“While we are losing a tremendous volleyball coach, we can’t thank Coach Fontana enough for her leadership,” Bott said in his statement. “People may remember the conference championships and state series success, but I will remember Coach Fontana for so much more. She epitomized our slogan of ‘The Standard Is Best.’

“She consistently got the best out of her athletes and developed not just high quality athletes, but high quality people off the court. You could always expect her teams to be hard working and persistent. Crystal Lake South is losing a valuable coach and leader on the volleyball court, and we wish Jorie nothing but the best in the future.”