Indiana has lost a legendary sports figure when former Ben Davis teacher and coach Priscilla Dillow passed away today.
“She’s been a legend on the westside for decades, a pioneer in the IHSAA and just a wonderful human,” former BD star and current Warren Central wrestling coach Jake O’Neill wrote on Facebook about Dillow. “I’ll always remember the conversations we had when I was putting together our proposal for girls wrestling. Her guidance, love and support will be deeply missed.”
Dillow spent 34 years as a teacher and coach at Ben Davis. She was a pioneer in girls sports, helping lead what was then called the Girls Athletic Asssociation into the IHSAA.
Dillow was the first woman on the board of the IHSAA, was one of the first female athletic directors in the nation to oversee both boys and girls sports and was the first woman president of the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. And she was the first Indiana woman to become a certified master athletic administrator.
There will be a memorial service April 14 at 2 p.m. in the Ben Davis gym. All are invited. Those wishing to make memorial contributions are asked to contribute to the Ben Davis athletic department in Dillow’s honor.
