For the first time in seven years, Illinois State has a new linebackers coach, and the position couldn't fall in more capable hands as Steve Sigler enters his first season on the Redbird staff.

Sigler has more than a decade of coaching experience on the defensive side of the ball. Prior to ISU, Sigler spent three seasons with Illinois as a defensive graduate assistant coach, where he worked with the linebackers and defensive line. Under his tutelage, the Illinois defensive line ranked No. 12 nationally in sacks per game in 2007. In 2005, Sigler assisted the Illini staff as a quality control and weight room assistant.

Prior to joining the Illinois staff, Sigler had great success as a coach at both the NCAA Division II and Division III levels. Sigler's defenses were ranked nationally every year while at Thomas More College, where he coached from 1999-2002 and again in 2004. His squads still hold 11 school records and had seven players achieve all-America status. He initially served as the quarterbacks and receivers coach at TMC before moving to defense in 2000. He worked with the linebackers at Thomas More from 2000-02 and again in 2004, while serving as the defensive coordinator from 2001-02 and in 2004.

In 2003, between his two stints at Thomas More College, Sigler was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Tri-State in Angola, Ind. He coached the Thunder linebackers and coordinated all of the special team units at Tri-State.

Sigler's career began at Oklahoma Panhandle State in 1996, as a running backs coach. Beginning in 1997, Sigler coached the OPSU linebackers for his first of two seasons. Sigler graduated from Oklahoma Panhandle State in 1998 with a degree in health, physical education and recreation, and a minor in education.

Sigler hails from Villa Grove, Ill., and resides in the Bloomington-Normal area with his wife, Karen.