Dana Wagner embarks on her 11th season as head coach of the Lady Chiefs’ softball program. During that time, Coach Wagner and Assistant Coach Perry Clark have built a consistently successful program. That culminated in record breaking seasons the last two years, with last year’s team eclipsing the school record for wins in a season set the previous spring.

Wagner was also the head coach of the women’s basketball team for nine seasons, guiding the Lady Chiefs to a second-place finish in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference in 2006. As a result of both team’s success, Wagner was named the Skyway’s Female Coach of the Year for 2005-06. In addition to her coaching duties, Wagner works full-time at Waubonsee as the assistant athletic manager. Her duties include running Waubonsee’s intramural program, supervising the Chiefs Club, overseeing all of the school’s on-campus athletic events and serving as facilities coordinator for the college’s gymnasium, Erickson Hall.

Wagner is a 1997 graduate of Aurora University where she earned her physical education degree and became a Spartan basketball legend. She remains Aurora’s all-time leading scorer with 1,693 points, averaging 18 points every time she stepped on the floor. She was named a Columbus Multimedia and Division III News All-American, a Kodak All-American twice and was tabbed All-Central Region three times. Wagner was selected the Northern Illinois Intercollegiate Conference (NIIC) Player of the Year three times, making the All-NIIC team all four years. She was also named Aurora’s Female Athlete of the Year an unprecedented three times. Wagner’s No. 40 jersey was retired by Aurora upon the conclusion of her last game as a Spartan.

Wagner graduated from nearby Kaneland High School in 1992 where she was an All-Little Seven Conference performer on the court. Coach Wagner lives in Aurora with her husband Tim, step-son Cal, and nine-month old son Reece. The couple is expecting another child later this spring.

For the past decade Perry Clark has been an integral part of the Lady Chiefs’ softball program as an assistant coach. Known affectionately as “PC,” Clark will have an even bigger leadership role this season as Associate Head Coach while head coach Dana Wagner is on maternity leave.

Clark’s coaching experience includes stints at Naperville Central, Oswego and Kaneland High Schools. He is also the co-founder of the Northern Illinois Thunder Softball, serving his second year as the organization’s Advisory Chairman after being President for the previous nine years. Under Clark’s leadership the 16U division Thunder teams have made five USSSA World Series appearances (1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006), placing 13th in 1998. More than 100 Thunder players have continued playing softball at the collegiate level. In addition, Clark serves as an area Director for Illinois USSSA Fastpitch Softball. He conducts and assists in pitching, hitting and fielding camps and clinics. Coach Clark has served as a speaker, while also attending many local, state and national coaching clinics.

Coach Clark graduated from Oswego in 1983 and attended Western Illinois University in Macomb. Clark and his wife Linda reside in Montgomery with daughter Abbey. He is employed full time as the Executive Director of the Sugar Grove Economic Development Corporation.

Frank Weese joins the Chiefs’ coaching staff this spring as the assistant softball coach. Weese rejoins forces with Associate Head Coach Perry Clark, with whom he co-founded the Northern Illinois Thunder in 1998. Weese was the organization’s Vice-President and a coach for six years, helping lead the Thunder to three USSSA World Series appearances.

Coach Weese also supervised the total reorganization of Elburn Baseball and Softball in the mid-1990’s. He eventually spearheaded the formation of a unified league by bringing the autonomous youth programs of Elburn, Sugar Grove, Maple Park, Big Rock and Virgil all together. A true disciple of the game of fast pitch softball, Weese is ASEP certified. Weese was the assistant varsity softball coach at St. Charles East High School the last two seasons.

Away from the dugout, Weese was founder and president of Visitec Marketing Associates in St. Charles. After 20 successful years of operation, he sold the business in 2007 and is now retired. Weese and his wife Debby reside in Elburn. They have four grown children, Jennifer (Reuland), Jessica (Pech), Jamie and Daniel.

Jessica Tartaglione returns to the Lady Chiefs’ dugout this spring as a Volunteer Assistant Coach after starring at shortstop the last two seasons. Known to teammates and coaches as “Juice,” Tartaglione will likely continue to spark the program’s fortunes through her insight, knowledge and ability to relate to the palyers.

Tartaglione is a two-time All-Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference First Team selection. As a freshman, Tartaglione led the Lady Chiefs in hitting with a .500 batting average during the regular season, ranking her ninth among all NJCAA Division II players. She earned All-Region IV Second Team honors, and was named the Highland Tournament’s East Division Most Valuable Player. Tartaglione earned All-Region IV First Team status as a sophomore after batting .432 average with a .534 slugging percentage. She also excelled in the classroom and achieved Skyway All-Academic honors last year.

Tartaglione is a 2005 Waubonsie Valley High School graduate where she earned All-Upstate Eight Conference Honorable Mention honors as a senior. She is currently pursuing double majors in Biology and Psychology at Aurora University. A native of Naperville, Tartaglione currently lives in Aurora.