Chuck Nelson - Boys Basketball Coach 1975-1993
Chuck had an overall coaching record of 298-152 with 15 years of winning records compared to only 2 losing seasons. He was named the IBCA Coach of the Year three times (1983, 1985, 1986). He was responsible for over a dozen Little Ten Conference and Tournament titles as well as 4 Regional Championships and making the Sectional Finals in 1986. That 1986 team ended up having a record of 29-1. Chuck's teams made the Regional Championship game 10 years in a row from 1978-1986.
David S. Olson - Class of 1988A basketball standout, David scored 2123 career points, had a 62.6% FG%, and averaged 9.1 rebounds a game. Averaged 36 PPG his senior year (1st in state) and was named to the Class A 1st Team All-State by AP, UPI, Sun-Times, Tribune, and IBCA in 1988. Chosen as Little Ten Conference MVP twice and still holds the scoring record for 3 games at the Plano Christmas Tournament. David also had a successful career at EIU and was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2006.
David A. Thompson - Class of 1969Lettering in 4 sports, David excelled in basketball, setting school records for points scored (527) and rebounds (394) in 1967-68. The following year he had 521 points and 391 rebounds. He was awarded with All-Suburban Team and Honorable Mention All-State honors during his junior and senior years. David was also unanimous choice 1st Team All-Conference during his junior and senior seasons. He moved on to letter and start in basketball at Illinois Wesleyan University.
Monica (Anderson) Williams - Class of 1986In volleyball, Monica started all 4 years and was named to several All-Conference and All-Area teams. She was also a part of the 1st girl's team to win a regional (Volleyball, 1984). Monica was one of the most prolific scorers in Newark's basketball history. Having double-digit scoring averages all 4 years playing varsity, Monica finished her senior year with a 29.0 ppg average (5th in Illinois) and scored 30 or more points nine times. She scored well over 1,000 points in her career and is known as a great rebounder, passer, and defender. Monica also went on to play at Wheaton College where she was voted into their Hall of Fame last fall.
1966 Boys Basketball TeamThis team had a winning record of 26-3 and is known for starting the strong basketball tradition at Newark. It was ranked in the Top 20 in Illinois (when Illinois only had a 1-class system) and was the last team to win the original Fox Valley Conference Championship. The team was coached by Harold Bennett.
1986 Boys Basketball TeamOne of the most exciting teams to ever come out of Newark, the 1986 boys basketball team went 29-1. They won the LTC Championships and swept through the Plano Christmas Classic. They lost to Ohio in the sectional finals by 1 point. They were coached by Chuck Nelson and assisted by Mike Cessna