CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced on Wednesday (March 23) an extension for volleyball head coach Chris Tamas. The extension, which was approved by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its March 17 meeting, will keep Tamas on a five-year contract through the 2026-27 season.

"In his five years leading our volleyball program, Chris Tamas has provided exceptional leadership," said Whitman. "He continues to push our program to new heights, both on the court and away from it. We are grateful to Chris, his wife Jen, and their family for their commitment to the Fighting Illini #famILLy and look forward to many memorable victories in the years ahead."

In his five seasons at the helm of the program, Tamas has made an immediate impact on Illinois volleyball and owns an overall record of 100-52 (.658), including a 59-39 (.602) mark in the nation's toughest volleyball league, the Big Ten Conference, as well as four NCAA Tournament appearances, including three NCAA Regional appearances and a trip to the Final Four in 2018.

Tamas most recently earned his 100th career win - with all 100 coming at the helm of the Illini program - after leading Illinois to its third trip to the Sweet 16 in five seasons after back-to-back wins to open the 2021 NCAA tournament, including a four-set win over 2020-21 National Champion and No. 7 seed Kentucky in Lexington. The Illini finished the 2021 season ranked No. 16 in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll with a 22-12 overall record and finished seventh with a 12-8 mark in the Big Ten Conference. 

Illinois experienced one of its most successful seasons ever in 2018 under Tamas, who was named American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Northeast Region Coach of the Year. The Illini made the program's fourth-ever appearance in the NCAA National Semifinals as the No. 3 overall seed in the tournament – riding a 17-match win streak into the Final Four - and ended the season ranked No. 3 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Coaches Poll. The team registered a 32-4 overall record and finished in second place in the Big Ten Conference with a 17-3 mark, with the 32 victories ranking tied for fourth-most wins in school history.

In his first season at Illinois - and his first-ever season as an NCAA Division I head coach - Tamas led the Illini back to the NCAA Regionals for the program's 17th Sweet 16 in its history. The Illini finished the 2017 season with a 23-11 overall record, including a fifth-place showing in the Big Ten Conference with a 12-8 mark as well as a final ranking of No.17 in the AVCA Coaches Poll.

Under Tamas's leadership, his players have collected seven AVCA All-America honors, highlighted by AVCA All-America First-Team selections in Jordyn Poulter and Jacqueline Quade – the first time in program history that Illinois has had multiple first-team honors in a season – as well as a Third-Team selection in Ali Bastianelli during the 2018 season. Poulter and Bastianelli, who also garnered All-America Third Team honors in 2017, were also named 2018 Senior CLASS Award finalists and CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees. The trio also collected unanimous All-Big Ten First Team accolades, with junior Ashlyn Fleming named to the Second-Team and Poulter garnering the Illini's first-ever Big Ten Conference Co-Setter of the Year honor. Most recently, Megan Cooney was named a 2021 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention, while current Illini Diana Brown became just the fifth Illini in program history to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America Second-Team honors.

"I want to thank Josh Whitman, Dr. Breanna Robinson, Chancellor Jones and the University of Illinois to continue the honor of being the head coach of the Fighting Illini volleyball team," said Tamas. "My family and I came here five years ago with a dream of running a program amongst the best in the country and five years later, this place has become much more than the job. Jen and I have lived all over the country and world looking for what we have here at Illinois - incredible people and the connections we have with everyone involved with this school and community."

"I finally want to thank all of our alumni, players, former and current staff, and program supporters for their work and commitment to our program over the years. As we strive to continue to produce future Olympians, All-Americans, and win big matches, my teams know it is much more than just that. It is about the process and everyone involved who continually pour their heart and soul into the Orange and Blue. We will continue to work as best we can to keep this a home for all Fighting Illini - past, present, and future. I-L-L!"

Tamas's new contract runs through January 2027, with a base salary of $400,000.

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