Where are Illinois' top girls' volleyball recruits in the Classes of '22, '23 headed?

(Updated 7/18) Six-foot-3 junior middle hitter Annie Eschenbach (17) of Benet Academy and 1st Alliance VBC has committed to Xavier University. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Illprepvb.com is creating a list of the top players in Illinois in the Classes of 2022 and 2023 who have committed to a college or university to continue their volleyball careers. All coaches and club directors have been invited to provide the names of their players who should be on the list. The attached list features the names of players that have been submitted so far.If...

Pairings released for Illprepvb.com Crimson Classic at Plainfield North

Marist, Plainfield North and Normal U-High will be among the teams competing at the Crimson Classic on August 27-28 sponsored by Illprepvb.com at Plainfield North and Central high schools. Here is a complete list of the participants and pairings: 1. Belvidere2. Bolingbrook3. Geneva4. Grayslake North5. Hinsdale Central6. Homewood-Flossmoor7. Johnsburg8. Lake Central (Ind.)9. Lincoln-Way East10. Lincoln-Way Central11. Lincoln-Way West12. Lockport13. Loyola14. Maine South15. Marian Catholic16. Marist17. Minooka18. Nazareth19. Neuqua Va...

Presenting the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Coaches Hall of Fame Class of '21

Fremd's Curtis Pinley (in background, left) has a combined 50 years of coaching boys and girls volleyball at Palatine and Fremd high schools. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Three years ago, Illprepvb.com was approached to collaborate on the creation of an Illinois High School Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame.Unfortunately, nothing ever came of that phone call. But we felt then, as we do now, that the creation of a coaches’ Hall of Fame was long overdue.Last July, with input from current and former coaches, players and officials, Illprepvb.com p...

Here are the final 2021 1st Alliance VBC/Illprepvb.com Boys All Club Rankings

Pipeline 18-1 advanced to the championship match of the 18 USA division at the USAV Boys Junior National Championships in Kansas City, Missouri. The party is over … for at least a few weeks.A chaotic boys’ club volleyball season – which began last fall with tryouts, took a brief hiatus during an abbreviated boys’ high school season, and resumed with practice ahead of the USAV Boys Junior National Championships, all with the specter of COVID hanging over participants and spectators alike – is finally over.    Time to res...

Michio Chicago's bid for national title ends with loss to club only 20 miles away

Michio Chicago 17 National advanced to the championship match of the 17 National division at the USAV championships in Las Vegas, but fell in three sets to Epic United/Diamond Elite from nearby Hammond, Indiana. Las Vegas, Nevada -- Michio Chicago 17 National took a circuitous route to the 17 National division finals of the 2021 USAV Girls Junior National Championships Sunday at the Las Vegas Convention Center.And after travelling 1,800 miles and weathering two must-win matches Saturday, who was waiting for south siders in the championship...

Illprepvb.com presents 570 reasons to watch girls high school volleyball this fall, Pt. II

Normal U-High's Lily Barry (far right) projects to be a libero in college but will continue to man the pin for the Pioneers, who hope to return to Redbird Arena in 2021. On the cover is Normal Community West's Averie Hernandez. (Barry photo by Dave Ruggles) Yes, the start of the 2021 fall girls’ volleyball season is still a few weeks away, but it’s never too early to speculate about what or who we’ll be seeing on high school courts across Illinois. Today, Illprepvb.com continues its look at 570 reasons to watch girls high school voll...

Illprepvb.com presents 570 reasons to watch girls high school volleyball this fall, Pt. I

Marist's Mary Clare Brusek (5) is one of several returning starters for the perennial Class 4A power and one of the reasons the RedHawks will be favored to win their third championship in the last four IHSA tournaments. On the cover is Breese Mater Dei's Tori Mohesky. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Yes, the start of the 2021 fall girls’ volleyball season is still a few weeks away, but it’s never too early to speculate about what or who we’ll be seeing on high school courts across Illinois. Today, Illprepvb.com begins a look at 570 reasons ...

SPVB B18 Elite’s national championship hopes go down in the (Balboa) Bay

Chicago Bounce 18 Red defeated Pipeline 18-1, 25-21, 25-21, to win the 18 USA division at the 2021 USAV Boys Junior National Volleyball championships Wednesday in Kansas City. Kansas City, Missouri – The end came like a rushing wave.After beating the Nos. 2 and 6 seeds to reach the quarterfinals of the 18 Open division at the 2021 USAV Boys Junior National Championships at the Kansas City Convention Center, SPVB B18 Elite was swamped Wednesday by Balboa Bay 18 Blue, 25-12, 25-22.“We started off with a service error to start the match,” sai...

Balboa Bay ends 630 Volleyball 16-1's run to a USAV national championship

630 Volleyball 16-1 reached the championship match of the 16 Open division Saturday at the 2021 USAV Boys Junior National Championship in Kansas City, Missouri, before running afoul of Balboa Bay 16 Blue. Kansas City, Missouri – There would be no second scintillating comeback for 630 Volleyball 16-1.After mounting a furious rally to defeat Bay to Bay 16-1 (Campbell, California) in the semifinals, 630 Volleyball 16-1 saw Balboa Bay 16 Blue dash its national title hopes late Saturday at the 2021 USAV Boys Junior National Championship at the...