Illprepvb.com is creating a list of Illinois boys in the classes of 2021 and 2022 who have yet to commit to a college or university and have indicated a desire to continue their volleyball careers. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Illprepvb.com is creating a list of Illinois boys in the classes of 2021 and 2022 who have yet to commit to a college or university and have indicated a desire to continue their volleyball careers. The following list includes players who compete at a high level either for their high school or club teams. All high school...
UNO, JCA teammates express optimism about club and high school seasons
Volleyball clubs around the state were among the victims of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's latest executive order related to the pandemic, but many girls remain optimistic that they will be able to play sometime in the new year, if not sooner. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comWith the COVID-19 pandemic setting record numbers in recent days, all of them in the wrong direction, there remains uncertainty over the upcoming club and high school seasons.That uncertainty was further amplified when Illinois Gov. J.B....
Simpson-Kirr achieves a young girl's dream: coaching college volleyball
Former Downers Grove South star and IHSA champion Jackie Simpson-Kirr is in her fourth year as associate head coach at Clemson. Jackie Simpson-Kirr By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comJackie Simpson-Kirr was only 13 years old when she figured out what she wanted to do with her life. She wanted to coach college volleyball.It was a lofty aspiration for someone who had just been cut from her seventh-grade volleyball team.But the Downers Grove native made it a reality. Simpson-Kirr blossomed into a 6-foot-1 setter at Downers Grove Sout...
1st Alliance VBC presents an early look at some top boys club teams – 15s, 16s
Chicago Bounce 16 Red will look a lot like last year's 15 Red team with eight players back from the team that finished third at the Dennis Lafata Boys Bid Classic last winter. Boys’ volleyball clubs throughout Illinois (and southeastern Wisconsin) got some bad news earlier this month when Palos Courts was forced to postpone the start of the 2020-21 Palos Point Series due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The news got even worse this week when Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzer announced he would be shutting down indoor youth sports beginning Friday, al...
A look at some of Illinois' top uncommitted girls in the classes of 2021-23
Illprepvb.com is creating a list of the top girls volleyball players in Illinois in the classes of 2021, 2022 and 2023 who have yet to commit to a college or university to continue their volleyball careers. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Illprepvb.com is creating a list of the top players in Illinois in the classes of 2021, 2022 and 2023 who have yet to commit to a college or university to continue their volleyball careers. The following list includes players who compete at a very high level either for their high school or club teams. All par...
Where are they now? A look at where 600+ Illinois girls are playing college volleyball
Emily Holbrook (8) of Joliet Catholic and Sports Performance is now playing collegiately at Arizona State. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Illinois not only ranks third among all states in the number of girls who play high school volleyball (behind California and Texas), it is also at the top of the list for the number of its student-athletes who go on to play volleyball in college.So we asked club directors to send us their lists of alumni who are currently playing volleyball at a college or university anywhere in the country. There are nearly 50...
Illprepvb.com presents the 100 All-Time Best Illinois Girls Volleyball Players, Nos. 21-30
Benet libero Hattie Monson will go down as one of the best defenders in Illinois high school history and will take her considerable skills to Notre Dame in the fall. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Today, we continue our countdown of the 100 All-Times Best Illinois Girls Volleyball Players with Nos. 21-30. Volleyball has come a long way since the IHSA began sponsoring a state tournament series in 1974. You might be hard-pressed to recognize the game. Not only have the rules changed, but so has the caliber of the athletes who compete.The growt...
Illprepvb.com ranks the 10 All-Time Best Illinois Boys High School Volleyball Teams, Nos. 6-10
Brother Rice's flirtation with perfection ended in the 2007 quarterfinals (Photo courtesy of Paul Ickes) The COVID-19 pandemic denied high school volleyball fans a 2020 boys’ season, but we can still celebrate some of the great teams of the past by naming the 10 All-Time Best Boys High School Volleyball Teams.The boys' first sanctioned state tournament was held in 1992. Richards dominated the landscape that season, not only becoming the first state champion in IHSA history, but also the first unbeaten state champion.There have been ot...
Illprepvb.com presents the 100 All-Time Best Illinois Girls Volleyball Players, Nos. 31-40
Naperville North's Colleen Ward began her college career at Florida before transferring to Illinois where she led the Illini to the NCAA semifinals in 2011. Today, we continue our countdown of the 100 All-Times Best Illinois Girls Volleyball Players with Nos. 31-40. Volleyball has come a long way since the IHSA began sponsoring a state tournament series in 1974. You might be hard-pressed to recognize the game. Not only have the rules changed, but so has the caliber of the athletes who compete.The growth of club volleyball, improved tr...
Illprepvb.com presents 200 reasons we can't wait for volleyball in the fall: Liberos
Libero Gillian Grimes was an anchor for Nazareth during its drive to Redbird Arena last fall. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, Illprepvb.com begins its look at 200 reasons we’re looking forward to girls high school volleyball resuming in the fall.Of course, there is no guarantee that Illinois schools will re-open by mid-to-late August or early September, and the IHSA will most likely follow the lead of state government before it OKs high school sports in the fall. But if schools do re-open, and the IHSA gives the go-ahead to fall sport...