Dunlap has hired its next girls basketball coach. Meet her here
Becky Fulkerson is back in the Mid-Illini Conference.
The former Pekin girls basketball coach has taken over the Dunlap program, approved as the new head coach at Wednesday's school board meeting. Fulkerson replaces Heather Cassady, who resigned from her alma mater last month following 11 seasons and 170 wins.
“There’s a great group of girls over there,” Fulkerson said, noting the junior high success of the current sophomore class. “It’s going to be an exciting time the next few years, for sure, and then hopefully, we can just continue to build on that with the younger generation.”
After 10 seasons at Pekin, from 2008-2018, Fulkerson left as the program's all-time winningest coach with a 118-165 (.417) career mark. Her 2016-17 team set a school record with 19 wins.
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The last five years out of coaching, though, have been especially rewarding for Fulkerson, who got to spend extra time with her daughters, Dakota and Casey.
“I was able to see them participate in their activities,” Fulkerson said, “and be fully engaged with my kids.”
But the pair proved to be even more instrumental in the former Concordia University basketball standout’s return to the sidelines.
“They’re the ones that actually kind of pushed me,” she said, “because when we saw (the Dunlap job) become open, they’re like, ‘Mom, you really should get back into coaching. You really enjoyed it and we loved coming to your games and we loved being a part of it.’ ”
The 1997 Richwoods graduate inherits a Dunlap team, which went 23-7 overall and were 11-3 as the second-place Mid-Illini finishers last season. Julia Sollberger, a senior and Northern Illinois commit, along with sophomore Caroline Holmes are projected starters to be back in the lineup for the Eagles when their season tips off with East Moline on Nov. 14.
Fulkerson, who has yet to fill out her coaching staff, will make her introductions with the team this upcoming Wednesday.
“I know that Julia (committed) Division-I,” the Elise Ford Allen Academy PE teacher said. “I’m excited to meet her. I know there’s a couple of returners on that team. They’ve got a good base. You know, I just can’t wait to get started with them honestly.”
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Dunlap fans can expect Fulkerson’s teams to "work hard, play the full game — whistle to whistle — and hopefully have a little fun doing it," she said.
What maybe not so fun will be the battles within the Mid-Illini. She knows what to anticipate with the likes of Morton, Washington, Canton, Metamora, Limestone, Pekin and East Peoria on the schedule.
“It is so competitive,” Fulkerson said with a laugh. “It is one of the toughest (conferences) in the state of Illinois. I mean I don’t think people outside of the area really understand how tough the Mid-Illini is, so I’m excited.
“… I hope that we can be the top team this year, I mean, that’s obviously our goal.”
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Dunlap hires new basketball coach: Richwoods grad Becky Fulkerson
