Naughton, Pancratz to coach at Conant
Conant has announced two new varsity girls sports coaches.
Deirdre Naughton has been named girls basketball head coach, and Drewann Pancratz has been named girls volleyball head coach.
Naughton takes over the program for retiring coach Dan Travers, and Pancratz replaces retiring coach Peggy Scholten.
Naughton spent last season as the sophomore girls basketball coach at York High School in Elmhurst and is currently teaching physical education/health and social studies at Sandburg Middle School.
She also was a varsity assistant at New Trier from 2011-2013, and worked with off-season player development, coordinating summer basketball camps and junior high school feeder program camps.
Naughton played basketball at DePaul University as the team competed in the NCAA tourament each year. She was a four-year varsity letter-winner, was team captain for three years and earned many individual accolades for her play, including 2009 Big East player of the year.
"We couldn't be happier with Deirdre's selection to lead our girls basketball program," said Conant Principal-Elect Julie Nowak in a statement District 211. "Deirdre is student-centered and a quality person. She's the kind of person you'd want working with not only your student-athletes on the court, but your students in the classroom as well."
Pancratz is currently the sophomore girls volleyball coach and a physical education teacher at Leyden High School, positions she has held since 2012. She also is the school's girls basketball head coach, as well as the track and field Special Olympics coach.
Pancratz played collegiate volleyball and basketball at Carthage College, leading her volleyball squad to three NCAA appearances, including one Final Four finish, and her basketball team to two NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances and an Elite Eight finish.
Pancratz excelled in both volleyball and basketball as a high school student at Schaumburg.
"Drewann relates well with both student-athletes and parents alike," said Nowak. "Her enthusiasm, energy, and knowledge of volleyball make her a perfect fit for this job. We're really looking forward to the direction she'll take our girls volleyball program."