DePaul University Athletics
Don Amidei and Julianne Sitch to be Inducted into Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame
7/17/2023 3:00:00 PM | CROSS COUNTRY, ATHLETICS, TRACK AND FIELD, WOMEN'S SOCCER
The former DePaul track and field coach and women’s soccer star join an elite group
CHICAGO – Don Amidei and Julianne Sitch, two members of the DePaul Athletics family, are both set to be honored in the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame this October. Each have made significant contributions to the sports community in Chicago and join an elite group of individuals including DePaul's Ray Meyer, Doug Bruno and Mark Aguirre.
Amidei was a fixture for decades of cross country and track and field in the city of Chicago, serving as a head coach at DePaul, Loyola and Northwestern in addition to St. George and St. Ignatius High School. He passed away in July 2008 at the age of 82 and will be honored posthumously.
Amidei first came to DePaul on a basketball scholarship where he graduated in 1949. He was later inducted into the DePaul Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979 for boxing and track and field. Amidei was the Blue Demons coach from 1962-69. As the coach of St. George's cross-country program, Amidei led the school to seven Catholic League titles.
Sitch's contribution to soccer in the city of Chicago has gone on to span from a playing career into coaching. Sitch made history last fall, becoming the first female head coach of an NCAA men's soccer team to win a national championship after leading the University of Chicago men's team to their first Division III national title.
She also served as an assistant coach with the UChicago and UIC women's teams in addition to spending two seasons with the Chicago Red Stars. Sitch has since gone on to accept a position as the head coach of the women's soccer team at Denver, where her team is preparing for the upcoming 2023 season.
As a player at DePaul, Sitch broke school career records in points (90), goals (32) and assists (26). She went on to be a Second Team All-American and the 2003 Conference USA Player of the Year. The Oswego, Illinois native graduated with her degree in fitness management and physical education in 2005.
Following her collegiate career, Stitch was drafted by the Sky Blue FC, winning a championship in her first season. She also played professionally for the Chicago Red Stars, Western New York Flash and Atlanta Beat before professional stops in both Australia and Sweden. On the international level, Sitch was part of the Region II Olympic Development program and earned call-ups to the U-19 U.S. National Team and the U-21 U.S. National Team, winning the Nordic Cup in 2004 with the U-21s.
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