With a background in football, Joe Summerville never set out to be a wrestling coach. However, he took on an unexpected challenge and put together a celebrated 30-year coaching career. 

After a standout career on the gridiron at Champaign High School, Joe went on to play college football at Eastern Illinois University. After graduating, he took a job as a teacher and coach at Unity High School in Tolono, where he served as an assistant football coach. 

In 1966, a Unity board member sought to have his son wrestle, and Joe was given $5,000 and the challenge of not only starting, but building a program. The program grew and thrived under his leadership as the team completed the 1972-73 season with a perfect 18-0 record and three years later, the program captured the first Regional crown for the high school in any sport. 

When Joe completed his 21-year coaching career in 1987, his resume included 19 IHSA State Qualifiers, one State Champion (1986 A-105, Bill Brandon), nine state medalists and 220 dual meet victories. He was equally proud to see two of his assistant coaches, Ray Cummings and Gene Everett, go on to become successful head coaches who would earn enshrinement in the IWCOA Hall of Fame. 

Joe is a member of the IWCOA and the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association and the Unity High School Athletic Association halls of fame. All told, his wrestling, football and track & field teams at Unity combined for six conference crowns and seven Champaign County championships. 

Joe has been associated with high school wrestling for over 50 years, as he has continued to work as a bench official at the IHSA State Tournament in his retirement for the past 34 years. 

Joe and his wife Sue continue to reside in Tolono and have two children (Cathy, Geoff and wife Amy) and two grandchildren (Kim and Tim).