Kristin Kane
Hometown: Aurora, IL
Joined University of Illinois staff: 1999
Team Assignments/Responsibilities: Men's Basketball; Oversees day-to-day management in Academic Services.
Education: Loras College, B.A. Sociology & Physical Education (double major), 1998; University of Illinios, M.S. Kinesiology, 2001.
Athletic/Professional Experience: Basketball at Loras College, 1994-98; Worked as a graduate assistant and intern at the Irwin Academic Center before being hired full-time as a counselor in fall of 2001.
Best part of my job: Helping students accomplish goals that they may not have believed they were capable of achieving.
Favorite Quotes:“It is impossible to live a perfect day without doing something for someone who cannot possibly repay you.” – John Wooden
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” - Aristotle
“The reason most people fail instead of succeed is because they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.” – unknown
Clarissa Gentzler
Hometown: Paxton, IL
Joined University of Illinois staff : 2003
Responsibilities: Coordinates grant-in-aid, athletic scholarships, special NCAA funds, and oversees distribution of textbooks for all varsity teams.
Education: Eastern Illinois University, B.A. Liberal Arts, 2000.
Professional Experience: Prior to moving over to Academics, worked in Payables Office from 2000-2003.
Best part of my job: Enjoy working with business and sports at the same time.
Favorite quote: "I find the great thing in this world is NOT where we stand but in what direction we are moving." - Oliver Wendell Holmes
Currently resides in: Paxton, IL
Family: Children, Vaughn, Aleeka, and Ariana.
Jan Glosser
Office Administrator & Administrative Aide
// jglosser@illinois.edu
Hometown: Greenfield, IL
Joined University of Illinois staff : 1994
Responsibilities: Works in cooperation with other departments on campus with the Application, admissions, and housing process for all varsity sports, organizes National Letter of Intent and Initial Tenders, maintains student-athlete files, and other regular office duties.
Education: Eastern Illinois University, B.S. Business Management, 2010.
Professional Experience: Prior to moving to Academics, worked for ten years as the Administrative Secretary for the men’s and women’s tennis programs at Illinois.
Best part of my job: Seeing the student-athletes every day.
Favorite quote: “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go”. – Oscar Wilde
Currently resides in: Philo, IL
Family: Husband, Steve; Children Kristi, Scott; Grandchildren, Colton, Rory, & Peyton.
Interest: Spending time with my grandchildren, traveling, and gardening.
Academic Counselors / Learning Specialists
anthony binion
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Joined University of Illinois staff : 2012
Team Assignments/Responsibilities: Women's Basketball, Men's Gymnastics, Women's Cross Country, and Women's Track & Field.
Education: Truman State University, B.S. Psychology, 2003; Illinois School of Professional Psychology, M.A. Counseling, 2005; Northwestern University, M.S.A. Sport Management, 2011.
Athletic/Professional Experience: Member of football team at Truman State, 1999-2003; Director of Student-Athlete Success at Drake University, 2011-2012.
Best part of my job: Seeing the students grow throughout their collegiate careers and being a part of the process to help them to reach their goals.
Favorite Quote: "The athlete who says something can't be done, should never interrupt the athlete that is doing it."- John Wooden
Currently resides in: Matteson, IL
Family: Wife, Aesha; Children, Amari and Aiden.
Shari Clapp
Joined University of Illinois staff : 2002
Team Assignments/Responsibilities: Baseball, Men’s Golf, Soccer, and Women’s Tennis, as well as athletics liaison to campus/new student registration.
Education: Oklahoma State University, B.S. Geography, 1992; Oklahoma State University, M.S. Geography, 1998.
Professional Experience: Prior to arriving in Champaign, worked in both educational administration and as assistant director of the academic advising and career counseling unit for student-athletes at Ohio University. Also served in academic support at University of Pittsburgh, Rider University, and Oklahoma State.
Jeff Guin
Hometown: Fort Walton Beach, FL
Joined University of Illinois staff : 2008
Team Assignments/Responsibilities: Football; Supervises Academic website and Grades First Academic Software Management System.
Education: University of Florida, B.A. Elementary Education, 1995; University of Florida, M.A. Education, 1996; University of Florida, M.S. Sport Management, 1997; Currently working on Doctorate in Educational and Organizational Leadership from University of Illinois.
Professional Experience: Administrative Assistant for men’s basketball at University of Illinois, 1997-2003; Assistant Basketball Coach at Western Illinois, 2003-06, and Florida Atlantic University, 2006-08.
Best part of my job: Meeting with recruits & their families, graduation day, & all the stuff in-between.
Favorite Quote: “Giddy-Up.” - Kramer
Currently resides in: Champaign, IL
Family: Wife, Betsy; Children, Ellee, Troy, and Luke.
kathy kaler
Hometown: Rantoul, IL
Joined University of Illinois staff : 2001
Team Assignments/Responsibilities: Volleyball & Women's Golf; Coordinator of the Douglas C. Roberts Illini CHAMPS / Life Skills Program.
Education: Eastern Illinois University, B.S. Physical Education, 1979; Western Illinois University, M.S. Athletic Administration, 1986.
Athletic/Professional Experience: Volleyball, Basketball, and Softball at Eastern Illinois University. Teacher / Coach / Girls Athletic Director at Gardner-South Wilmington HS; Head Coach Women’s Basketball / Fitness Center Director / Physical Education Instructor at Danville Area Community College.
Best part of my job: I love working with student-athletes and being able to watch them grow over their careers and achieve success both in the classroom and in their sport. I also really enjoy being able to witness the impact our student-athletes make within our community through the Hometown Heroes program.
Favorite Quote: “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney
Currently resides in: St. Joseph, IL
Interest: Following the success of all of our current and former Illini; biking, walking, jogging, and woodworking.
MELINDA McCORMICK
Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI
Joined University of Illinois staff : 2011
Team Assignments/Responsibilities: Softball, Swimming & Diving, and Women's Gymnastics; Tutor Coordinator .
Education: Miami University, B.A. English/Journalism and Film Studies, 2004; Purdue University, M.Ed. Educational Studies, 2011.
Athletic/Professional Experience: Volleyball at Miami University. Championship Staff Assistant at NCAA; Graduate Assistant for Student-Athlete Academic Services at Purdue University.
Best part of my job: Building different relationships with every student-athlete and being there for them for both the successes and failures.
Favorite Quote: "Turns out not where, but who you're with, that really matters." - DMB
"Everything happens for a reason." - My mom, every time I couldn't see the big picture.
Currently resides in: Champaign, IL
Family: Husband, Dustin.
Interest: Concerts, movies, traveling and spending time with friends.
DEBBY WILLARD
Hometown: Springfield, IL
Joined University of Illinois staff : 2007
Team Assignments/Responsibilities: Work with all varsity sports, with exception of football.
Education: DePauw University, B.S. Microbiology, 1984; Eastern Illinois University, M.A. Administrative Education, 2005.
Professional Experience: Microbiology Research Lab and secondary education.
Best part of my job: Working with students on a one to one basis.
Currently resides in: Monticello, IL
Family: Husband, Troy; Children, Sara and Jeff.
Carla Suber
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Joined University of Illinois staff : 2006
Team Assignments/Responsibilities: Football.
Education: Florida A&M University, B.A. English, 1992; University of Pennsylvania, M.S. Ed Secondary Education, 1995; Temple University, M.Ed. Counseling Psychology, 2000.
Athletic Experience: Swim team at Florida A&M, 1988-1992.
Best part of my job: Students! They are hilarious!
Favorite Quote: “Never, never, never give up.” – Winston Churchill
MIKE TRAMe
Hometown: Lebanon, IL
Joined University of Illinois staff : 2009
Team Assignments/Responsibilities: Men's Cross Country, Men's Tennis, Men's Track & Field, & Wrestling; Supervises Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and part-time building monitors.
Education: University of Illinois, B.A. Political Science, 1994; University of Illinois, Ed.M. Higher Education Administration, 2007.
Athletic/Professional Experience: Head Volleyball Coach at Parkland College, 2004-2009.
Best part of my job: Helping student-athletes make their dreams become a reality both in their academic lives and in their sports.
Favorite quote: "You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself, your own highest standards, and when you reach your limits, that is a real joy." - Arthur Ashe
"Losers visualize the penalities of failure, but winners visualize the rewards of success." - Rod Gilbert
Currently resides iin: St. Joseph, IL
Family: Wife, Michelle; Children, Stephanie and Mackenzie.
Interest: All sports, cheering on the Illini, traveling, and spending time with my family .
Annie White
Hometown: Tolono, IL
Joined University of Illinois staff : 2007
Team Assignments/Responsibilities: Head Football Counselor.
Education: University of Illinois, B.S. Kinesiology, 2001; University of Illinois, M.S. Sport Management, 2004.
Athletic/Professional Experience: Pitcher on inaugural softball team, 1999-2000; Served as a G.A. and then as an intern at Irwin Academic Center, 2002-05; Academic counselor at University of Cincinnati, 2005-07, and worked with Baseball, Men’s & Women’s Soccer, Men’s Golf, Women’s Basketball, and Football during those years.
Best part of my job: Working with student-athletes on a daily basis & watching them mature and develop into well-rounded adults.
Favorite Quote: “Do, or do not. There is no try.” - Yoda
Currently resides in: Urbana, IL
Family: Husband, Kelly; Child, Henry.
Interest: Disney and Ice Cream.
Sports Nutritionist
Chelsea zenner
Hometown: Moscow, ID
Joined University of Illinois staff : 2012
Responsibilities: Coordinate nutrition education, cooking classes, and performance nutrition for teams.
Education: North Idaho College, A.A., 2004; Mesa State College, B.A. Exercise Science, 2006; University of Wyoming, B.S. Dietetics, 2009; University of Houston Dietetic Internship, 2010; University of Florida, M.S. Clinical Exercise Physiology, 2012; Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, 2012.
Athletic/Professional Experience: Soccer at North Idaho College and Mesa State College, 2002-2006; Worked as sport nutrition intern at the University of Florida for 7 months prior to being hired full time as Gators' Coordinator of Sports Nutrition, 2010-2012.
Best part of my job: Teaching athletes to maximize their performance ability through sound fueling and recovery nutrition.
Favorite Quote: “Nutrition will not make an average athlete elite but it can make an elite athlete average."
Currently resides in: Champaign, IL
Interest: Traveling, time with family, running, and lifting.
