Jay Howell is a seven-time Region 4 Coach of the Year and has compiled a record of
398–197 in his 15 seasons at SVCC. Howell’s Skyhawks have won eight Arrowhead Conference
regular-season championships. They have qualified for the NJCAA Division II National
Tournament seven times (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2023), placing 6th in 2016, 8th in 2017, 5th in 2020 and 5th in 2021.
SVCC has had 10 All-Americans in Howell’s tenure, including the 2021 National Player
of the Year, Michal Willman, and Lacey Eissens in 2023. He has coached 82 combined
all-conference and all-region performers, as well as 20 Academic All-Americans.
Prior to coming to the Skyhawks, Howell coached volleyball for 11 years at Newman
Central Catholic High School and Excess Volleyball Club. Howell holds a Bachelor of
Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois and is employed by American
Surveying and Engineering. Jay resides in Dixon with his wife, Sue. They have seven
children and 14 grandchildren.
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Abby Cox enters her first season back as assistant volleyball coach for the Skyhawks.
As a previous assistant coach from 2012-2015, she was a part of the first SVCC volleyball
team to advance to the National Tournament in 2014. With eight years of experience,
Cox has coached the sport at the middle school and high school levels as well as various
club teams. Se graduated from Newman High School in 2005 and played basketball for
the Skyhawks from 2005-2007. Cox graduated from Western Illinois University and Northern
Illinois University with Master’s Degrees in both Special Education and Educational
Administration. Coach Cox is a special education teacher at East Coloma-Nelson School,
lives in Sterling with her son and daughter and is looking forward to working with
the talented group of players this season!
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