PINCKNEYVILLE — After a year serving as a volunteer assistant at SIU, highly successful volleyball coach Mike Layne is headed back to the high school game. Pinckneyville has hired Layne to be the next Lady Panthers’ head coach.

Layne replaces Cathy Kohnen, who recently resigned to take a job at Breese Central. Kohnen had a successful five-year run as the Lady Panthers’ head coach. Pinckneyville is 57-17 the past two seasons and has won regionals in two of the last three years.

Layne compiled a 519-192 record in 20 years covering two stints as Murphysboro’s head coach. The Red Devils won 20 or more games in 19 of those 20 seasons and 30 or more four times. His teams won 11 regional championships and one sectional title.