Lincoln-Way East coach Kris Fiore is spearheading a move to expand boys' volleyball in Illinois. Wanted: A few good volunteers to help grow boys’ volleyball in Illinois.Lincoln-Way East coach Kris Fiore is serving as the lead Illinois representative for the First Point Volleyball Foundation, which was established in 2016 by the USA Men’s National Team head coach John Speraw and non-profit executive Wade Garard.The mission of the First Point Volleyball Foundation is to connect donors to the men’s volleyball programs that need them the ...
More team previews as Illprepvb.com looks at the 2020 boys season
Lyons' 6-foot-8 middle blocker Sam Peters (17, far right) figures to be a force at the net for Lions' coach Brad Skendzel. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Illprepvb.com continues its look at the 2020 boys' high school volleyball season with another set of team previews. Illprepvb.com provides the best in boys volleyball coverage throughout the season anywhere in the state. School: AndrewConference: Southwest SuburbanHead coach: Troy Hari Last season’s highlights: 12-13 overall, 2-6 in conference, lost to Marist, 25-...
630 Volleyball hosts training clinics with Anderson, McMillan
Penn State coach Colin McMillan 630 Volleyball, in conjunction with Indiana University, will welcome U.S. Olympian Matt Anderson to train with its athletes. Arguably the most valuable player in America over the last decade, Matt has racked up his fair share of individual accolades, including United States Player of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2019.The clinic will be held Friday, July 10, with two sessions: Ages 13-15 from 3:30-5:00 p.m., and ages 16-18 from 5:15-6:45 p.m., at 630 Volleyball, 7881 Lemont Rd., Darien. The cost is $...
Seattle-bound St. Francis standout Sipes sets sights on successful senior season
Katlyn Sipes and her St. Francis teammates reached a Class 3A supersectional in 2019 before falling to eventual third=-place finisher Nazareth. (Photo courtesy of Daily Herald). Olivia Sipes is making quite a name for herself following in her older sister's footsteps. Katlyn Sipes cannot explain it.Unlike her sister Olivia, age 10, who followed Katlyn into volleyball after watching her older sister compete at the local and national level, youngest sister Beatrice, age 8, rejected volleyball for a sport dominated by men.“She plays ice hoc...
Back-to-back seasons present challenge for several high school coaches
Marist coach Jordan Vidovic, who won girls' and boys' state titles during the 2018-19 academic year, is hoping for some degree of normalcy in 2021. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Lockport boys' and girls' volleyball coach Nick Mraz. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThis high school sports year will be like no other, especially in volleyball.Because of the coronavirus, the girl's season was moved to the IHSA’s reconfigured “spring” season and the boys will play during the “summer.” This will create a non-stop bevy of high school volle...
Talented Adversity G18 Adidas studying diligently to pass chemistry test
Adversity G18 Adidas is loaded with talent, but putting it all together could take some time, said coach Melissa Masterson. https://youtu.be/CAIXJmHGmm4 Every time Adversity G18 Adidas takes the court this season, it will have the proverbial target on its back.“I think we have a lot of talent,” said Adversity’s 6-foot junior setter Rachel Muisenga from Benet, who is committed to perennial Big 10 volleyball powerhouse Penn State. “But it's going to be what we do with that talent that will determine how we come out.“Each match, we have...
Here are the latest Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com Girls Club Rankings
There was some movement in this week's girls club rankings with Sky High Adidas 18 Black taking over the top spot among the 18s and Michio Chicago 16 National moving to the top of the 16s field. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) The Windy City Power League seeding is over and the league season is underway. Surprises? There were a few. Meanwhile, with a few exceptions, the schedule is a little light prior to Presidents’ Day tournaments hosted by the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora and Sky High Volleyball Center in Crystal Lake. ...
Michio Chicago 18 National getting it done with defense and a 'no fear' attitude
Michio Chicago 18 National is unbeaten at 9-0 after two weekends of seeding in the Windy City Power League. https://youtu.be/M50k_E2ZVDc This is not last year’s Michio Chicago 18 National team.Gone from the team that went 5-3 and finished in 25th place at the USAV Girls 18s Junior National Championship in Dallas last April are such big bangers as Marian Catholic’s Temitayo Thomas-Ailara (Northwestern), Sandburg’s Erica Staunton (Northeastern) and Latin middle blocker Kelsey Watkins (Furman).But different is not always a bad thing.Afte...
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...
While we're waiting … here's a sneak peek at some of the top 18s girls' club teams
SPVB G18 Elite's Audrey Rome (Sandwich, on the home page) and Adversity G18 Adidas' middle hitter Gigi Barr (York, pictured inside) are two of reasons their teams rank in the top three of the 1st Alliance VBC/Illprepvb.com Preseason Girls Club Rankings. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) When will they start? How will they finish?Like the boys, the girls club season is on hold while Illinois continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor’s recent restriction on youth indoor sports has forced Illinois clubs to break for the time being,...