Volleyball Hall of Fame

Priscilla Welch was the first female at Pekin Community High School to earn 12 varsity letters, garnering four each in softball, volleyball and basketball from 1989-93. But softball is where she was most dominant and made her biggest impact. She set Illinois High School Association state records for most grand slams in a season (4) and most consecutive hits (14) – records that stood for more than 20 years – and was named All-State. Matriculating to Illinois State University, she was named Missouri Valley Conference Rookie of the Year in 1994, then made first-team all-conference three times and was named third-team All-America in 1997. She set the ISU career record for most hits (247) and finished with a .373 batting average, 119 runs, 102 RBI, 40 doubles and 14 triples. She helped lead ISU to three Missouri Valley Conference championships and in 2007 was selected to the MVC All-Centennial Team. Chosen 37th overall in the 1997 Women’s Pro Softball League draft by the Virginia Roadsters, she enjoyed a four-year professional career, capped by her selection to play in the 1998 WPSL All-Star Game.