INDIANAPOLIS – A two-time women’s basketball NCAA DII Player of the Year, a men’s basketball NCAA DII Player of the Year, a women’s basketball GLVC Player of the Year, and the 2007 softball national championship winning coach have been elected for induction to the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Hall of Fame, it was announced by the Conference office Wednesday.
The GLVC’s Class of 2026 inductees include Drury University’s women’s basketball player Hailey Diestelkamp, Bellarmine University’s men’s basketball player Braydon Hobbs, Quincy University’s women’s basketball player Jessica Keller, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s women’s volleyball and softball coach Sandy Montgomery.
The GLVC Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will be honored at the GLVC Spring Awards Reception at the Drury Plaza in St. Louis, Missouri, on Tuesday, May 19.
Diestelkamp was a part of the Drury women’s basketball dynasty that won four consecutive GLVC Tournaments from 2016-20 during her career. Diestelkamp was named a four-time All-GLVC selection, being named to the first team in 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20, claiming the GLVC Player of the Year in 2019-20. She also was a three-time First Team All-Midwest Region selection, a two-time WBCA and D2CCA First Team All-American, and an CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-American in 2019-20.
Diestelkamp holds the record at Drury for total points (2,321), total rebounds (1,101), is fourth in steals (401), and 14th in assists (249). She also Has the two highest scoring games in Drury history, has three of the five highest scoring games in GLVC history, owns the GLVC single-game scoring record (53), and holds the GLVC single-game record for field goals made. During her time with the Panthers, they only lost eight games out of a possible 136, going 32-0 in 2019-20. At the GLVC tournament, Diestelkamp and Drury were undefeated, going a perfect 12-0 with four titles, with Diestelkamp being named to the All-Tournament Team three times as well as being named Tournament MVP three times. Nationally, Diestelkamp helped lead the Panthers to four NCAA Midwest Regional appearances including two host bids in 2019 and 2020, going 8-3 and being named to the NCAA-II Midwest Regional All-Tournament Team three times, including being named MVP in 2019. Diestelkamp capped off her career being given named a 2020 GLVC Paragon Award winner, 2019-20 Scholar Athlete of the Year for Women’s Basketball as well as being inducted into the Drury Hall of Fame in 2025.
Hobbs was an ever-present for the Bellarmine Knights, starting all 133 games during his time from 2008-2012. He was a four-time All-GLVC honoree, being named to the First Team in 2010-11 and 2011-12. Hobbs helped lead Bellarmine to the to two GLVC Titles in 2010 and 2011 and capped off the 2011 season with an NCAA National Championship. Hobbs was a two-time D2CCA First Team All-Midwest Region honoree and an NABC, DII Bulletin, and Basketball Times First Team All-American in 2012, earning the DII National Player of the Year from the NABC, and the Basketball Times. Hobbs is the only Bellarmine student-athlete to have his jersey retired and ranks first in the program in career assists (725), three-pointers made (279), and steals (220). He ranks third in blocks (96) and ninth in points scored (1,637). Hobbs capped off his career by being named the 2011-12 GLVC Scholar Athlete of the Year for men’s basketball as well as earning the 2012 GLVC Paragon Award.
Keller was an offensive powerhouse for the Hawks in an era of Hawks NCAA tournament berths. In her time in brown and gold, Keller was a three-time All-GLVC selection and earned the GLVC Player of the Year in 2008-09. That same year, Keller secured a second team All-American nomination. During her time as a Hawk, she finished all-time leader in points (1,823), steals (324), free throws made (487), and free throws attempted (652). She also ranked top five in career free throws made and career free throws attempted across Division II in 2009. Keller’s overall record as a Hawk was 83-36 and helped lead the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances. Keller was the 2009 Richard F. Scharf Paragon Award Recipient, showcasing her skill both on the court and in the classroom. Since playing as a Hawk, Keller has taken her talents to other universities, coaching basketball at nearly every level and currently coaching at the University of Nebraska. Keller became a part of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s 30 Under 30 inaugural class in 2016.
Montgomery was the leader of one of the most prominent and highly regarded softball; programs in Division II during the late 90’s and 00’s. The longest-tenured softball head coach in SIUE history, completed her coaching career with a record of 1,051-540-2 (540-193 in DII) for a winning percentage of .660. Montgomery also started SIUE's volleyball program, serving as the first head coach and amassing a record of 83-54 over four seasons, while leading the volleyball Cougars to their first NCCA tournament appearance in 1998. Montgomery's 2006 softball team set the school standard for victories with 52 and advanced to the NCAA final eight. One year later, Montgomery led the Cougars to their first and only national championship. The 2007 team would later be inducted into the SIUE Athletics Hall of Fame. Montgomery coached three eventual GLVC Hall of Famers (Jenny Esker, Michelle Gilman-Cox, and Alicia DeShasier), Ten All-Americans, Three GLVC Players of the Year, Two GLVC Pitchers of the Year, and won GLVC Coach of the Year four times (1997, 1999, 2001, 2002). Montgomery made ten NCAA Tournament appearances and won five GLVC Championships (2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008). Montgomery has been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2006, SIUE Hall of Fame recently being named to the SIUE Hall of Fame in 2026.
The 2026 GLVC Hall of Fame Class will be the 23rd class to be inducted since the establishment of the honor in 2002. With the inclusion of the Class of 2026 in May, the GLVC Hall of Fame membership will expand to 103 former administrators, coaches, and student-athletes.