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...
Kurpeikis creating her own legacy with blessing of her Mighty Mac alumna mom
Jeanine Szczesniak (2) was the 1994 Sun-Times Player of the Year while at Mother McAuley before continuing her career at the University of Michigan. Ellie Kurpeikis (10) is expected to be a huge force at the net for Marist in 2021. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comEllie Kurpeikis was born to play volleyball.The daughter of Mother McAuley graduate and 1994 Sun-Times Player of the Year Jeanine Szczesniak, Kurpeikis always knew where her athletic future lie.“I’ve always pretty much played volleyball,” Kurp...
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...
One of the best-ever women tackles new challenge with Culver-Stockton men's program
Culver-Stockton College, an NAIA school with about 1,000 undergraduates in Canton, Missouri, established a men's volleyball program eight years ago. (Photo courtesy of Culver-Stockton College) Culver-Stockton men's volleyball coach Caren Kemner. Three-time Olympian. Six-time recipient of the United States Olympic Committee Female Volleyball Athlete of the Year and a five-time winner of Team USA MVP award. Member of the University of Arizona and International Volleyball halls of fame.Caren Kemner, a native of Quincy who led Quincy Notre D...
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,...
Looking to help during the COVID-19 crisis? These girls have a suggestion
1st Alliance and Lions Jrs. Volleyball Clubs are sponsoring a food drive to help people in need during the coronavirus pandemic. Here's how you can help. The coronavirus pandemic is scary. Everyone is at risk. It has already turned society upside-down. Millions of people are out of work. Many families who depended on their weekly paychecks are living day-to-day. The fragile in society are even moreso.But there are ways in which those people who still have the wherewithal can help. The can donate to charities. They can give blood. They c...
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...
630 Volleyball ready to rock … whenever the boys' club season rolls around
630 Volleyball's 16-1 team features: (front row, from left) Sam Levinson, Payton Saldana, Nick Kujalowicz, Wilson Kramnic, Nitin Addanki and Manny Matel-Sanchez, and (back row, from left) Parker Moorhead, Ethan Du, coach Nick Maruyama, Kobi Lange and Peter Zurawski. 630 Volleyball had a heckuva rookie season.The Darien-based boys’ club earned eight bids to the (later cancelled) USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championship in Reno, Nevada, including two Open division bids for its 15-1 and 15-2 teams.Its 16-1 and 16-2 teams both earned bi...