Illprepvb.com announces 2019 Player, Team, Coach of the Year and First Team All-State

Huntley's Taylor Jakubowski, who concluded her stellar four-year varsity career as Illinois' second all-time assist leader, is the 2019 Illprepvb.com Player of the Year. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we are pleased to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls First Team 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 and in the classroom...

Sterling’s Rodriguez, WW South’s Meyer head Illprepvb.com All-State Second Team

Sterling junior Lexi Rodriguez, a Nebraska recruit, assumed an expanded role as libero and setter to help lead the Golden Warriors to a second consecutive IHSA Class 3A championship. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we continue to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls All-State Volleyball Team with those players named to the Second Team. 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 and in the classroom as high school stu...

Marist’s Arundel, St. Teresa’s Huck head Illprepvb.com All-State Third Team

Maddie Arundel was among Marist's leaders in almost every statistical category. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we continue to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls All-State Volleyball Team with those players named to the Third Team. 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 and in the classroom as high school student-athletes, not on any future potential or current recruitment status. Players represent all four IHS...

M-R’s Gillen, BHRA’s Meidel head 2019 Girls All-State Honorable Mention Team

Joliet Catholic's Bella Ray (left) led the Angels to a second-place finish in Class 3A. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). Today, we continue to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls All-State Volleyball Team with those players named Honorable Mention. 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 and in the classroom as high school student-athletes, not on any future potential or current recruitment status. Players represent all...

Announcing the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls All-State Special Mention Volleyball Team

Sophomore Kennedi Burnett (left) led St. Joseph-Ogden to a third-place finish in the IHSA Class 2A tournament. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we begin to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls All-State Volleyball Team with those players named Special Mention. 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 and in the classroom as high school student-athletes, not on any future potential or current recruitment status. Playe...

Benet leaves little doubt as to who’s No. 1, beats WW South for Class 4A crown

Sophie Gregus (21) led Benet with 8 kills during Saturday's IHSA Class 4A championship match at Redbird Arena. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Benet juniors Kyla Kenney (left) and Caroline Doyle collide while going for a dig during Saturday's championship match. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) NORMAL – Benet saved the last point for Colleen McGuire.And the 5-foot-10 senior outside hitter delivered.“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” McGuire said. “This is my last point, and being able to go out on that is something I never could have even asked for. It’s ...

Sterling repeats as Class 3A champion; Nazareth downs U-High for third place

Joliet Catholic's Bella Ray (14) tries to hit through the block of Sterling's Brooklyn Borum (10) and Kierra Collins (15). Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com NORMAL – Sterling believed all season. Now the Golden Warriors are back-to-back IHSA Class 3A champions. Brooklyn Borum bashed 16 kills, and what Grace Egan imagined came through as the freshman outside hitter added 11 kills and 5 digs, as Sterling stopped Joliet Catholic with a 25-16, 25-19 victory Saturday in the Class 3A championship match at R...

St. Teresa eases past Mater Dei for 2A crown; Newark goes back-to-back in 1A

Sophomore Tori Mohesky had 8 kills for Breese Mater Dei in its Class 2A championship loss to Decaur St. Teresa. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) NORMAL – Decatur St. Teresa and Breese Mater Dei were no strangers before taking the floor at Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State University for the Class 2A championship game, having met at the Quincy Notre Dame tournament on October 22."It was helpful that we played them a couple of weeks ago,” said Decatur St. Teresa setter Lexie Huck. “We knew what they were going to bring, and we knew w...

Saturday, November 16 results

Illini Bluffs' Emma Hicks (13) tries to get past the Newark block during the Class 1A championship game Saturday in Normal. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Saturday, November 16 IHSA finalsat Redbird ArenaClass 1AThird placeAthens def. Norris City-Omaha-Enfield 24-26, 25-16, 25-9Norris City-Omaha-Enfield (38-4 overall): Mattie Wells (22 assists, 12 digs), Hollan Everett (1 dig), Evie Duncan (8 kills, 19 digs), Emilee Bishop (7 kills, 9 digs, 1 block), Sophie Neal (9 kills, 1  assist, 9 digs), Kennedy Cook (4 kills, 1 assist, 3 digs), Abby Blac...

Benet stops two-time defending champ Marist; WW South reaches 4A final

Benet's Sophie Gregus hits over the block of Marist's Ellie Kurpeikis and freshman Kamryn Chaney (Photo by Dave Ruggles). NORMAL – The Roman philosopher Seneca once said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." Benet coach Brad Baker had his own spin on preparation Friday in the catacombs of Redbird Arena. “It’s one thing to know what to do, it’s another thing to do it,” he said. Benet did it. Behind a smothering Game 1 defense and an 11-4 run in Game 2 that wiped out a 17-11 deficit, Benet defeated two-time defending Cl...