The Carbondale community is mourning the loss of longtime educator, coach, and athletic pioneer Vicky L. King, 71, who passed away Sunday. King, a Mill Shoals native with deep Fairfield and Wayne County ties, spent decades shaping high school athletics across Southern Illinois and is remembered as a groundbreaking advocate for girls and women in sports. She graduated from Mills Prairie High School in 1972 as valedictorian and was the homecoming queen and a cheerleader.
King arrived at Southern Illinois University in 1972, excelling as a dual-sport athlete in softball and basketball. In 1975, she became part of SIU’s first class of female athletes to receive full athletic scholarships following the passage of Title IX, a milestone that set the foundation for her lifelong push for equality in athletics.
Her teaching and coaching career began at Murphysboro High School before she moved to Carbondale Community High School, where she taught physical education and driver’s education. King went on to become a highly successful softball and girls golf coach, earning more than 250 softball wins, leading CCHS’s first girls golf team to the IHSA State Championship, and helping bring the IHSA Girls State Golf Tournament to Southern Illinois for the first time.
In 1994, King broke barriers again by becoming Southern Illinois’ first female athletic director. She later served as principal of Carbondale Community High School from 2004 until her retirement in 2010. Even in retirement, she continued serving the district as a school board member and was honored with induction into the Carbondale High School Hall of Fame for both athletics and service.
Carbondale High School Principal, Ryan Thomas told WFIW the school is “heartbroken” over King’s death, noting she was diagnosed with cancer late this summer.
A Celebration of Life is set for January 17th at 1 p.m. in the Carbondale Community High School Gymnasium. Those attending are encouraged to wear Carbondale Community High School or Terrier attire. The Meredith Funeral Home in Carbondale is handling the funeral arrangements.