Where are Illinois' top girls' volleyball recruits headed? (updated 7/16)

Nadia Goich (17, far court), a 6-foot-1 middle blocker from Lockport and 1st Alliance Volleyball Club, has committed to the University of New Hampshire. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Illprepvb.com is creating a list of the top players in Illinois in the Classes of 2021 and 2022 who have committed to a college or university to continue their volleyball careers. All coaches and club directors have been invited to provide the names of their players who should be on the list. The attached list features the names of players that have been submitted ...

Who were some of the best of the best? We asked the coaches, and the nominees are:

New Trier junior Peter Brown led the Trevians to a third-place finish in the IHSA Boys Volleyball Tournament. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Illprepvb.com asked boys' volleyball coaches statewide to nominate players for this year's all-state team. The Player of the Year will be announced Saturday and the all-state team will be announced Sunday. These are some of the players who were nominated by their coaches for the all-state team: Sammy Adkisson, 5-10, Sr., L, Vernon HillsThe Player of the Year in the Central Suburban North, Adkisson ama...

Marist takes care of business; Glenbard West, Oak Park, New Trier advance at Hoffman Estates

Marist's Rocky Mayer had 4 kills and 6 digs during the RedHawks quarterfinal win over Minooka Friday at Hoffman Estates. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Marist's Nyherowo Omene (left) and Rocky Mayer. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com“Takin’ Care of Business”The Marist volleyball team probably didn't listen to the classic song by that name before its IHSA quarterfinal match Friday at Hoffman Estates. But that's exactly what the RedHawks did ad they took care of their end of business and coasted to a 25-14, 25-15 victory over Minook...

Michio Chicago 15 National rules open division at JVA Summerfest in Columbus

Michio Chicago 15 National defeated CVC 15 Black to win the 15 Open division at the JVA Summerfest in Columbus last weekend. It was hot fun in the Summer(fest)time for Michio Chicago 15 National last weekend. Michio Chicago 15 National overcame the loss of one of their best attackers and a field of 36 teams Sunday to win the 15 Open division at the JVA Summerfest at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus. Ohio. Michio finished 7-0 in the tournament dropping only three sets along the way, defeating Tri-State Elite 15 Blue,...

Grayslake Central names former star to lead girls’ volleyball program

Klaudia Basierak (far left), who is Grayslake Central's all-time leader in single-season and career kills, has been named the new head coach at her alma mater. Who said you can’t go home again? Klaudia Basierak, a former standout performer at Grayslake Central and the University of Dubuque (Iowa), has been named the new head coach of the Grayslake Central girls’ volleyball program. Basierak succeeds Jason Janczak, who stepped down at the end of last season after 13 seasons as head coach. Basierak played for Janczak from 2009-2011. Basierak...

Who’s qualified on the boys’ side for the USA Volleyball Junior Nationals?

Chicago Bounce 17 Red qualified for the 2019 USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships by finishing fifth in the 17 Open division at the Winter Volleyball Championships at McCormick Place in January. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Here are the Great Lakes Region qualifiers for the 2019 USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships, June 30-July 7, at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas, Texas:18 OpenAdversity B18 Adidas (Gateway Qualifier)Future 18 Elite (Gateway Qualifier)Pipeline 18 Nike (Gateway Qualifier)SPVB ...

We peer into the Illprepvb.com crystal ball at the boys’ 2020 season

New Trier's Colin Heath (12) and Glenbard West's Ben Harrington (1) could meet at Hoffman Estates again in 2020. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Which teams will be among Illinois’ best in 2020? Peering into the Illprepvb.com crystal ball … Can Glenbard West return to the top of the Illinois boys volleyball world after falling to Marist and Marty Jepsen in the 2019 IHSA championship game? Can Marist repeat without the 2019 Illprepvb.com Player of the Year? Will New Trier ride its two fabulous outside hitters to the school’s first title in 25 years...

Introducing the 2019 Illprepvb.com Boys All-State Volleyball Team

(Photos by Dave Ruggles) Today, we are pleased to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Boys All-State Volleyball Team, our Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and Team of the Year. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the Illprepvb.com all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court as high school players, not on any future potential or current recruitment status. These players excelled on the court and represented their schools, their teams and their communities with distinction...

Final 2019 1st Alliance Volleyball Club/Illprepvb.com Boys High School Rankings

Photos by Dave Ruggles. Rankings.Part performance. Part guess-work.Eighteen of the final 25 teams ranked at the end of the 2019 season were ranked in the preseason. Some teams that had not been ranked all season or had been in and out of the rankings broke into the final top 25. So here are they are, the final 2019 1st Alliance Volleyball Club/Illprepvb.com Top 25 Illinois boys’ volleyball teams. Let the discussion begin.(preseason ranking in parentheses) 1. Marist 40-2 (8)Defeated Glenbard West, 25-21, 25-23, in the IHSA championship m...

A difference-maker and class act, Jepsen is the 2019 Illprepvb.com Player of the Year

Marty Jepsen celebrates with his teammates after Marist won the 2019 IHSA Boys Volleyball championship. (Photo courtesy of Joe Hovanes) 2019 Illprepvb.com Player of the Year Marty Jepsen of Marist. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comMarist had just edged Glenbard West 25-21, 25-23 in a hard-fought IHSA championship match. The two teams congratulated each other after they received their medals.As the Marist players shook hands with her and her team, Glenbard West coach Christine Giunta-Mayer took time to give o...