During the past 25 years, Kris Terrillion has played an important role - as a competitor and as a coach - in the growth and success of women's volleyball at all levels in Central New York. A Levittown, N.Y., Division Avenue High graduate, Terrillion came in 1968 to SUNY Cortland from her Long Island home uninitiated in the sport she would come to cherish. "My involvement in the sport of volleyball began at Cortland," recalled Terrillion, a physical education instructor at LaFayette Junior-Senior High for the past 19 years. "Playing on the team at a time when the sport of 'power' volleyball was in its infancy in the Northeast was exciting. The volleyball teams under Coach Buff Wang were tremendously successful."
Those Cortland teams captured New York State championships in 1971 and 1972, while competing in the first-ever Division of Girls and Women's Sports (DGWS) National Volleyball Championship in Miami, Fla. A team leader, Terrillion and her Cortland squad also helped to promote the sport by holding free volleyball clinics for high school students. Terrillion earned a bachelor's degree from Cortland in 1972.
That autumn, Terrillion started teaching at LaFayette High. She coached softball and originated the volleyball program. Within in a few years, her volleyball teams began dominating the local scene - winning 10 divisional, six sectional and two regional championships.
As a player, Terrillion competed on USVBA club teams and, in 1974 and 1975, on the U.S. East National Volleyball Team. She played on the Empire State Games volleyball squads from 1978 to 1982, then coached the Empire State Games Central Region Open Women's Team for the next four years.
Terrillion, who earned a master's degree from Ithaca College, was assistant volleyball coach there in 1982. From 1983 to 1986, she coached the Syracuse University Orangewomen. In 1984, she was voted Big East Volleyball Coach of the Year. Also recognized by local industry and the Onondaga High School League for her contributions to volleyball, Terrillion received the New York State Coaches Association Honor Award in Volleyball in 1989.
Within the classroom, Terrillion has earned national plaudits for her efforts. In 1991, she was named a national winner of a Disney Outstanding Teacher Award, while the Syracuse University School of Education presented her with its 1989 Excellence in Teaching Award.
UPDATE- March, 2015- While at Cortland Terrillion was a member of Theta Phi, WAA, Official's Club, and participated in intramurals. Terrillion has been actively involved with volleyball as an official for 30 years and a member of the CNY Board of Officials. She was the Chairperson of NYSPHSAA Section III Volleyball for 24 years. She retired from LaFayette Central Schools in 2005. During her career as a Volleyball coach she had a win loss record of 506-76 with 22 league championships, 16 sectional titles, and 9 regional titles. In addition to her career success she volunteers with the Alzheimer’s Association of CNY and the Susan Komen Race for the Cure.
Terrillion was recognized for her career accomplishments through multiple awards. In 2003, she received the "Believe to Achieve" Award presented by the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce. She was inducted into the NYSPHSAA Section III Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2009, she was inducted into the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Terrillion became a National Girls and Women in Sports Day Honoree in 2011, presented by the Big East and Syracuse University for contributions and leadership toward the advancement of girls’ sports during your career.
