Athletic Hall of Fame
Jill (Beilke) Antonacci, ’02 – Antonacci earned her B.A. in elementary education in 2002 and her M.S. in curriculum and instruction in 2003 from Concordia.
Antonacci lettered for the Concordia women’s tennis team for four years. Beginning with her freshman year of 1998, she won first singles for the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference for three straight seasons. In 2001, she teamed with Melissa Horvath to win the conference championship at first doubles. Antonacci was named the NIIC Player of the Year in 1999 and 2000. The team compiled a 36-17 dual match record during her four-year tenure as a player.
As of 2009, Antonacci ranks sixth in the women’s tennis program in both career singles victories with 51 and in winning percentage with a .761 mark.
Antonacci coached the Cougar women for the two seasons following her graduation. She led the 2003 team to a 6-3 overall record and earned the unique distinction of winning Coach of the Year honors. Antonacci was also the only female in school history to coach the men’s tennis team, leading them in the spring of 2003.
In 2004, Antonacci received a call to teach at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Belvidere, Illinois, close to her hometown of Rockford. She taught second and third grades there up to the birth of her first child. Antonacci continues to serve in her home congregation of Immanuel Lutheran Church.
