Hall of Fame
A native of Valparaiso, Ind., Dr. Linda Herman of Illinois State is the 13th honoree in The Valley’s Lifetime Achievement category.
The Lifetime Achievement category honors, when appropriate, former players, coaches, administrators or alumni who competed, worked or attended a current league school.
Herman dedicated 30 years of service to the Illinois State University Athletics Department, including time as both an administrator and coach.
During her time as an administrator, the Redbirds won 117 Valley championships and 16 league all-sports trophies.
Herman served as senior women’s administrator and served four separate stints as Illinois State’s interim athletics director.
Before serving as an administrator at Illinois State, Herman coached the Redbird volleyball team for seven seasons and posted a 267-112 record, including a pair of national finishes in the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Tournament, highlighted by an eighth-place finish in 1977.
A national pioneer in women’s athletics, Herman was named the 1995 National Associate of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA) District V Administrator of the Year.
Her leadership skills were recognized as the 1996 ATALANTA Award winner from Athletics Management magazine for her service to intercollegiate athletics.
Herman served on the NCAA Volleyball Committee for seven years, the NCAA Softball Committee for three years and was a member of the NCAA Championships Committee for two years.
She was a recipient of the Bloomington-Normal YWCA Women of Distinction Award for outstanding leadership and excellence in education in 1997.
In December 2003, she was tabbed a member of the inaugural American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Hall of Fame class. Herman was also inducted into the Illinois State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.
Now enjoying her second retirement from Illinois State University, Herman spends her time traveling, visiting friends and family and supporting Redbird Athletics.