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 ...

46th AAU Junior Nationals roundup: SPVB 16 Elite, 16 C-Fed take home the big prize

SPVB 16 Elite and SPVB 16 C-Fed celebrate their national titles Friday at the 46th AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Florida. You could hear “Mr. Cub,” Ernie Banks, yelling down from the heavens, “Let’s play two … and while we’re at it, let’s win ‘em both.”So Sports Performance’s top two 16s teams heeded Mr. Cub’s advice.SPVB 16 Elite defeated top-seeded A5 Mizuno 161 Gabe (Georgia) to rule the 16 Open division and SPVB 16 C-Fed claimed the 16 Premier division title over Laguna Beach 16Q (California) Friday at th...

The Future is ‘wow’ in the 16s division at the Asics Boys Summer Challenge

Future 16 Elite defeated Ultimate B16 Gold in the championship match of the Asics Boys Summer Challenge 16 division Sunday in Mokena. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThe Future is now.With a healthy lineup, Future 16 Elite captured the championship of the Asics Boys Summer Challenge on Sunday at the Velocity Training Center in Mokena with a dominating 25-14, 25-22 victory over Ultimate B 16 Gold. “I’d say it was a pretty good day for us,” said Future coach Kate Wright. “We’ve got all our starters back on the court, a...

Transitioning from high school to club presents 18s with challenge at Velocity

Jack Yurkanin and Ultimate B18 Gold are using the Asics Boys Summer Challenge to get ready for nationals beginning June 30 in Dallas. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) This weekend’s Asics Boys Summer Challenge at Velocity Athletic Center in Mokena is serving as the final tune-up for several teams that have qualified for the USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships, June 30-July 7, in Dallas, Texas. Among them is Ultimate B18 Gold, which finished second in the country as 17s last year and has its eyes on the big prize next week with a rost...

630 Volleyball’s mission: win national championships, prepare players for college

Serve City 16 National will fly the Serve City flag at USAVs this summer, but will be playing under the 630 Volleyball banner during the 2019-20 season. Former Glenbard East player, college assistant and USA Men's Junior National Team technical coordinator Alex Hurlburt. Alex Hurlburt knew his body could not withstand the rigors of playing competitive volleyball after he played his final match for Glenbard East in 2010.“I was fairly tall and fairly athletic, but not skilled in any way,” he said. “After I made it through that last match m...

Walther Christian seeking head girls volleyball coach

Walther Christian Academy, a school of about 250 students located in Melrose Park and a member of the Chicago Prep Conference, is looking for a head varsity girls volleyball coach for this coming fall season. Walther Christian typically has 20-25 girls in the program. Candidates should possess strong skills in teaching the game, have Christian beliefs, be a positive role model for the school’s young ladies, and either possess or be willing to work towards obtaining coaching certification (i.e. ASEP, NFHS, etc). Walther Christian Academy is a p...

Cyclones kick up a storm at Navy Pier, win Asics Junior National 17s, 18s championships

Cyclones 17 Black Adidas defeated Epic United 17 Elite ROX to win the 17s age division title of the Asics Junior National Volleyball Championships Sunday at Navy Pier. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThere was a fog hanging over Navy Pier early Sunday morning.  By 3:00 p.m. or so, it had turned into a cyclone. The Cyclones 17 Black Adidas volleyball team, that is. After finishing second in their age group in the same tournament the past three years, the Cyclones completed their mission this year, defeating Epic United 17 RO...

USAV roundup: SPVB B15 Elite nearly pulls off hat trick, but falls in Open final

Sports Performance's 15 Elite team reached the championship match of the 15 Open division at the USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday before falling to unbeaten MB Surf Asics 15's. Sports Performance’s 15 Elite team did the improbable Saturday in the 15 Open division at the 2019 USA Volleyball Junior National Championships in Dallas, Texas. But it was asked to do the impossible. After beating two of the last unbeaten teams remaining in the tournament to advance to the finals, SPVB B15 Elite faced ...

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 ...