From news services

Former Lake City High and North Idaho College volleyball player Brittany Tilleman (nee Gay) has been named NIC head volleyball coach, athletic director Shawn Noel announced.

Tilleman takes over for Kelsey Stanley, who resigned on April 3 after nine seasons as coach. Stanley, who took a job outside of athletics, was 187-87 and led the Cardinals to fourth in the conference tournament this season with a 27-6 record.

Tilleman was an assistant coach at NIC last year. Tilleman played volleyball, basketball and softball at Lake City. Her softball team won the state title in 2013.

“Brittany understands what it is to be a Cardinal as she followed in the same footsteps of our current NIC student-athletes not too long ago,” Noel said in a school news release. “She understands what is expected of the North Idaho College women’s volleyball program and has a love and passion for North Idaho College, our student-athletes and the sport of volleyball.”

Tilleman played both volleyball and softball at NIC. As part of the 2015 volleyball team, the Cardinals finished fifth at the NJCAA national tournament before NIC moved to the NWAC in 2016. Tilleman was selected as the North Idaho Female Athlete of the year for the 2016-17 season.

After her time at NIC, Tilleman transferred to Montana to pursue her bachelor's degree and continue her volleyball career. As a senior, her team made it to the NCAA Big Sky Championships. Tilleman received the Heart of the Grizzly Award and Most Inspirational Player in her two seasons there. She graduated in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in health and human performance —exercise science.

Tilleman coached volleyball for three seasons at Hellgate High in Missoula, including two seasons as head coach.