Hall of Fame
Daralyn Niedospial-Duffy, 2009 - Daralyn Niedospial-Duffy played an integral role in establishing the early years of Western Illinois volleyball, a program which began in 1976. A four-year letterwinner and starter, she captained two teams (1980, 81), was voted team MVP twice (1980, 81) and team “best all-around player” once. In four years as part of the then Westerwinds, her team accumulated a record of 64-74-6, which included one 20-win year (1981). The 1981 Western Illinois team defeated Eastern Illinois, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Illinois-Chicago, Indiana State, Wisconsin and Missouri to take first place at the Southern Illinois University Classic.
While at Western, Niedospial-Duffy was also a Special Olympics coach, an intramural sports participant, and a Western summer volleyball camp coach. In the offseason for the intercollegiate varsity team, she participated in the United States Volleyball Association as part of Western’s club team. Niedospial-Duffy graduated from Western Illinois in 1982 with a bachelor of science degree in education and an Illinois Type 10 Certificate with areas Educable Mentally Handicapped and Learning Disabled.
A 1978 graduate of Queen of Peace High School, Niedospial-Duffy was a four-year participant on the volleyball team. Her senior year, the team was runner-up at the 1977 Illinois High School Association State Championships, while individually she was voted all-area and the team’s most improved player.
After Western, Niedospial-Duffy gained a variety of experiences in special education and coaching while garnering numerous accolades. Most notably, she was recognized as the coach of the “Team of the Month” in the August 2005 issue of Volleyball Magazine and the 1985-86 Reavis High School Coach of the Year. She is also a certified Pre-Vocational Coordinator and behavior disorder instructor and trained in the SAVI/SELPH science program.
Niedospial-Duffy has been a special education teacher for the Lemont/Bromberek School District 113A. She resides in Lemont, Ill., and has two daughters, Kayla Marie, and Karly Lyn.
