HR0218 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0218 LRB101 11716 MST 58270 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Bob Hallberg on the occasion of his retirement as athletic director and head coach of the women's basketball team at Saint Xavier University in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Bob Hallberg joined the Saint Xavier University's athletic department in 1971 as the head men's basketball coach, and within six years, the Cougars won two Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) championships; and

WHEREAS, Bob Hallberg moved on to his alma-mater, Chicago State University, in 1977, and led the men's basketball program to an average of 25 wins per season for the next 10 years, including an National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national semifinal appearance and a No. 1 ranking; when Chicago State University began their transition into NCAA Division I competition, he guided the team to 16 victories, setting a record for the most wins for a Division I program in its debut season; he then moved on to the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he was the men's basketball coach for nine seasons; and

WHEREAS, Bob Hallberg returned to Saint Xavier University in 2000 to build the new women's basketball program; in the team's very first season, the Cougars won 22 games and have dipped below that total just once in the 19 seasons since; he has led the Cougars to 13 CCAC regular season championships, 10 CCAC tournament titles, and an appearance in the NAIA national championship game in 2017; and

WHEREAS, In 2001, Bob Hallberg also took on the role of athletic director; Saint Xavier University had nine varsity programs competing in his first year and now has 19 varsity sports, each one having qualified for their respective NAIA national championships at least once during his tenure; in 2011, Saint Xavier won their first-ever national title, claiming the NAIA Football National Championship; and

WHEREAS, Bob Hallberg earned his 500th career victory with the Cougars on February 9, 2019 in a 73 to 44 win at Indiana University-South Bend; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Bob Hallberg on his retirement as athletic director and head coach of the women's basketball team at Saint Xavier University, and we wish him the best in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Bob Hallberg as a symbol of our respect and esteem.