SPVB 18 Lenny came up short in its bid to win a third consecutive 18 USA title at last weekend's Winter Volleyball Championship in Indianapolis. In two weekends, the boys from Aurora will go for their second consecutive USA crown at the 21 Dennis Lafata Boys Bid Classic in St. Louis. Indianapolis was not hospitable to a lot of teams from Illinois last weekend, but then again, like their sisters, the boys from the Land of Lincoln have been behind the eight ball compared to their brethren from outside Illinois where COVID-19 restrictions...
Here are the first 1st Alliance VBC/Illprepvb.com Girls 18 Club Rankings
Michio Chicago 18 National won the Girls 18 USA division at last weekend's Winter Volleyball Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana. Indianapolis is in the books. And after traveling to compete in nearby states like Wisconsin, Iowa and Indiana, where COVID-19 restrictions were not as severe, Illinois clubs now have the go-ahead to begin scheduling competition in-state.Meanwhile, the qualifier season continues this weekend with the Northern Lights Qualifier Friday through Sunday at the CHI-Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The qualifier o...
Benet's Muisenga among those to be honored on ESPN as First-Team AVCA All-Americans
Benet setter Rachel Muisenga, who plays club for Adversity, will be among the 24 AVCA First-Team All-Americans who will be honored Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Sunday on ESPN. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) A year ago on New Year’s Eve, 24 of the best high school seniors nationwide competed on the same court against one another in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Under Armour All-America match.In November, the AVCA announced that it would cancel the All-America match in Orlando, Florida, with plans to honor the athletes at a later date...
Monday morning missteps, revenge take center stage at Winter Championship
1st Alliance 18 Silver was Illinois' top finisher in the Girls 18 Open division at the Winter Volleyball Championship, finishing fifth. Indianapolis, Indiana – After his team’s 19-25, 25-17, 16-14 loss to FVP B18 Blue in a Round Two pool finale Sunday, SPVB 18 Lenny coach Zach Splitt said his team had to learn to handle pressure situations better.They’re still learning.Twenty-four hours after that loss, Lenny fell to FVP B18 Blue again, 25-17, 26-24, in the championship match of the Boys 18 USA division Monday at the Winter Volleyball Cham...
NCAA/AVCA Women's Division I, II Spring Preseason Rankings January 5, 2021
Champions Cup series continues under cloud of uncertainty over what comes next
Neuqua Valley's 5-10 outside hitter Bryanna Jones (76) is one of five newcomers on Sports Performance's 16 Elite team. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) CI Elite 17 Elite's Molly Warner (23) of tiny downstate Williamsfield tries to push the ball between a pair of defenders. Naperville North would have been crazy good this fall. The Huskies still might be this winter or spring. But that’s out of Paige Lauterwasser’s control.“It’s so crazy,” said Lauterwasser, a 5-10 sophomore who played on Naperville North’s 24-13 varsity team in 2019 as a fresh...
Lenny, Dail feel the heat to three-peat at Winter Volleyball Championships
Club 1 B18 Skronkstrong had a rough start to its weekend at the Winter Volleyball Championships Saturday in Indianapolis, going 0-3 in first round pool play. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Jason Kougan (Lincoln-Way East) and his Ultimate B18 Gold teammates struggled to an 0-2 finish Saturday. Indianapolis, Indiana – Solomon Dail is feeling the heat.“(Coach Zach) Splitt is a very, very competitive person, and there’s a lot of pressure on me as a team captain because he really wants this three-peat,” said the 6-foot-5 Dail, a Sports Performanc...
Top Notch notches top finish at AAU St. Louis Crossfire Super Regional
Top Notch 16 Elite Top Notch 16 Elite out of Springfield, Illinois, won the AAU St. Louis Crossfire Super Regionals 16U-17U division January 16-17 at the BudDome in St. Louis, Missouri.Top Notch defeated SI Wave 16s Gray, 25-13, 25-11; R1C Invasion 16-White, 20-25, 25-18, 15-10; and R1C STL Crossfire 16 R1, 25-15, 25-9, on Saturday, then defeated STL Crossfire 16 T1, 25-23, 25-14; 314 VBC 16-1, 25-20, 25-15; and Elite VBC 16 GOLD, 25-20, 25-12, on Sunday.Team members include Megan Becker (Springfield), Ruth Becker (Springfield), Peyton...
Where are 200+ girls from Illinois high schools and clubs playing D-I volleyball?
Former Nazareth star Ella Sandt took her considerable talents to St. Mary's College of California, a private Catholic college in Moraga, California. The Gaels compete in the West Coast Conference. (Sandt photo by Dave Ruggles. Ally VanEekeren cover photo by Mark Kuhlmann) There are 334 schools that play Division I Women's Volleyball in the United States, including 13 in Illinois. Based on information provided by club directors, Illprepvb.com has identified approximately 235 girls who either played high school or club volleyball in ...
The IHSA announces high school girls volleyball season will begin March 8
The good news? There will be a girls high school volleyball season beginning March 8. The bad news? No state tournament. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) There will be a girls’ high school volleyball season in Illinois this year … albeit a briefer one with no state tournament. And a boys’ high school volleyball season, too. Maybe a state. Maybe not.The IHSA announced Wednesday that Illinois girls high school volleyball will begin on March 8 with seven days of practice. The first contests can begin once a team has met that requirement, and the seaso...