Former Angel, U.S. Olympian Kelly Murphy takes on new role as club coach

Former Joliet Catholic star Kelly Murphy (left) was an All-American at Florida and later a member of the U.S. National team who helped the United States earn a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Tim Casey) Kelly Murphy was the first four-time American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American at Florida. (Photo courtesy of UAA Communications) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comJoliet Catholic girls’ volleyball coach Christine Scheibe is always delighted when one of her former players decide...

EVC 15 National setting the tone for a 'little' club with 'big' aspirations

EVC 15 National is off to a 19-2 start this season, including a 5-2 record in the 15 Club division of the Windy City Power League. Brian Eich and his EVC 16 National team, which finished fifth in the 15 Aspire division last summer at the 46th AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Florida. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Brian Eich never got the chance to play high school volleyball because his school didn’t offer it until two years after he graduated.He and his friends played beach volleyball every weeken...

New faces, same expectations present challenge for SPVB 18 Elite

Sports Performance's top 18s team features (front row, from left) Gabriella Croll, Lilly Smith, Sarah Konovodoff and Lauren Hughes, and (back row, from left) head coach Seth Salmon, Audrey Rome, Adekola Barakat, Ella Wrobel, Zayna Meyer and Ellie Watson. Seth Salmon does not need a history lesson.“Gold, gold, gold, gold, silver, gold, bronze,” he said. “That’s a lot of recent history with them winning. It’s up to me to make sure it happens again.”Sports Performance’s 18 Elite team has been a regular atop the medal stand at the AAU Junior ...

Here are the latest Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com Boys 15-18 Club Rankings

Grayson Juel (58) and his UNO Boys 18 Elite teammates battled their way to the 18 Open division Gold bracket quarterfinals at last weekend's Winter Volleyball Championship at McCormick Place. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) The 2020 Boys Winter Volleyball Championship at McCormick Place last weekend was a boon for some and a nightmare for others. Despite earning several bids, Illinois teams came away with only two championships in the 15-and-over divisions – SPVB B18 Lenny in 18 USA and SPVB B16 Alpha in 16 USA. Ultimate B14 Gold did win t...

Shock's players may fly under the radar, but team's success is gaining attention

Springfield Shock 18 Elite went 6-2 and won the Bronze bracket in the 18 American division at the Winter Volleyball Championship last weekend at McCormick Place. Seeing some action at the pin for Springfield Shock was New Berlin's Emilie King. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comDalton Tucker traveled a long way to coach the Springfield Shock 18 Elite team.The squad has gone farther than any of the players could have imagined.“I lived in Iowa last year and drove four hours back and forth to coach them because ...

Future falls short against Rockstar in 18 Open championship at McCormick Place

Future 18 Elite and Ben Harrington (11) of Glenbard West advanced to the Boys 18 Open championship match of the Winter Volleyball Championship Monday at McCormick PLace before falling to Team Rockstar 18 Rockstar from California. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Future 18 Elite was Chicago’s last hope to win the 18 Open division at the 2020 Boys Winter Volleyball Championship Monday at McCormick Place.But like Sports Performance and Chicago Bounce before them, Future had no answer for Sam Collins and top-seeded Team Rockstar 18 Rockstar (Carson,...

Bounce, UNO 18s clinch bids; SPVB drops heartbreaker at Winter Volleyball Championship

Future 18 Elite and Chicago Bounce 18 Red punched their tickets to Reno and the USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships by going 3-0 Sunday at the 2020 Boys Winter Volleyball Championship at McCormick Place. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) UNO Boys 18 Elite's Evan Faifer (Minooka) helped secure a bid for his team, which defeated Pipeline 18-1 early Sunday at McCormick Place. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Chicago Bounce 18 Red lived on the edge Sunday at the 2020 Boys Winter Volleyball Championship at McCormick Place.So far, the formula is...

Loss muddies Future's future; Bounce, SPVB, UNO 18s unbeaten after Day One at Winter Volleyball Championship

Saturday's opening round of pool play at the 2020 Boys Winter Volleyball Championship at McCormick Place was a mixed bag for the locals, with No. 3 seed Future 18 Elite dropping its 18 Open pool finale and SPVB B18 Lenny going unbeaten in the 18 USA division. Future 18 Elite, which earned a bid to the 2020 USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships in Reno this summer by finishing fifth last weekend in California, had its sight set on winning the 2020 Boys Winter Volleyball Championship at McCormick Place this weekend.“We’re here...

Presenting the first Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com 2020 Girls Club Rankings

The girls' club season is well underway and it's time to sort of who's who among the best in Illinois for 2020. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) The Windy City Power League is underway and the 2020 girls club season is kicking into high gear.SPVB 18 Elite, Michio Chicago 17 National, SPVB 16 Elite and Lions 15-1 topped the 2019 final club rankings, and all four – despite the obvious personnel changes – are among the top five teams in their age groups heading into the 2020 campaign.So here they are, the initial 2020 Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com ...

Some movement in latest Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com Boys 16s, 15s Club Rankings

Despite dropping its first match of the weekend Saturday at the B16-Palos Point Series #4, SPVB B16 Elite finished atop the series' standings by winning its last five matches. The B16-Palos Point Series #4 concluded Sunday and most teams are looking ahead to this weekend’s Winter Volleyball Championships at McCormick Place, where teams in the 16 and 15 Open divisions will vie for one of nine bids to the 2020 USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships in Reno, Nevada, June 27-July 4. 2019-20 Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com Boys C...