(originally printed in December 2015)
As fans may already know, the Waubonsie Valley girls basketball team has been busy over winter break, playing in Wheaton North’s 2015 Bill Neibch Falcon Classic. What fans may not know is the connection Waubonsie has with the name Neibch. Warriors athletic director Chris Neibch is the son of William Neibch, who served as Wheaton North’s athletic director for 23 years until his retirement in 2000.
According to the Chicago Tribune, during Bill Neibch’ tenure, Wheaton North athletics increased from 17 sports to 23, while winning three state championships in football.
His son, Chris, graduated from Wheaton North in 1997. He then eventually followed in his dad’s footsteps, having served as a teacher at South Elgin High School and athletic director at Elgin-Larkin High School, before being hired at Waubonsie in 2013.
Sadly, Bill Neibch passed away in 2002 at the age of 64. Along with the Falcon Classic, Wheaton North’s gymnasium is named in his honor and he is a member of the Illinois Athletic Directors Association Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 2002.