Mitchem, Ball State are NCAA tournament-bound; and more college odds & ends

Southeast Missouri State's Laney Malloy (left) and Kayla Closset will be packing their bags for the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championships this week. Bolingbrook graduate and Sports Performance alumna Natalie Mitchem and her Ball State University teammates are headed to the NCAA Division I Volleyball Championships after defeating Bowling Green to win the Mid-American Conference championship.The 6-2 junior opposite had 11 kills, 3 blocks and 4 digs in the Cardinals’ 25-23, 29-31, 25-16, 21-25, 15-7 victory over the No. 2-seeded Fal...

Hurta bedazzled opponents to earn SPVB/Illprepvb Player of the Year honors

Sports Performance VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Year Katie Hurta led Nazareth to the school's first IHSA championship in a girls' sport November 12-13 at Redbird Arena. (Photos by Dave Ruggles). Katie Hurta of Nazareth By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comFive days.That’s how long it took Nazareth senior Katie Hurta to truly understand what she and her teammates had accomplished.The 2021 Sports Performance VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Year put down six of her team-high 15 kills during a third-set rally against Belvidere North i...

Here are the final 2021 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com girls H.S. rankings

Emotions ran high Saturday at the IHSA tournament at Redbird Arena among both winners and losers. But win or lose, most agreed they were just happy to be back on the court this fall. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorAnother IHSA tournament is in the books. Let’s pray that 2020 is the last time the tournament is cancelled. Recommendation to avoid future cancellations? Encourage folks to get vaccinated. (P.S. Just another reason not to like Aaron Rodgers).My biggest beef of last weekend? The prices at the conc...

Metea Valley rallies to deny McAuley in Class 4A title game; Barrington takes third

Barrington sophomore Jenna Meitzler (11) collects one of her 3 kills against Edwardsville in the Class 4A third-place match. (Photo by Dave Ruggles)  Class 4ABy Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – No. 17 will have to wait another year.Metea Valley, which had never even won a regional before this season, shocked the Mother McAuley, 15-25, 25-8, 25-17, at Redbird Arena on Saturday to deny the Mighty Macs a 17th IHSA championship and claim the first state volleyball trophy in the Aurora school’s history.“Oh my God, I can’t even describe...

IHSA tournament results for Saturday, November 13

Class 1AThird placeAquin def. Springfield Lutheran 25-22, 25-17Aquin (39-3): Lucy Arndt (15 kills,11 digs, 1 block), Ava Hiveley (10 kills), Megan Holder (24 assists, 1 kill), Hanna Pizzolato (13 digs, 1 kill).Class 3AThird placeNormal West def. Joliet Catholic 25-20, 26-24Normal West (34-7): Averie Hernandez (16 kills, 4 digs, 1 block, 1 ace), Sydney Sennett (20 assists, 3 kills), Sydnie Hernandez (12 digs, 2 blocks), Joselyn Gale (7 digs).Joliet Catholic (27-15): Crystal Galavic (7 kills, 10 digs), Lillian Ray (8 assists), Samantha Horn (6 a...

Nazareth's defense thwarts Belvidere North in 3A finals; Normal West jars JCA

Normal West libero Sydnie Hernandez (9) stretches to reach a ball during the Wildcats' victory over Joliet Catholic in the Class 3A third-place game. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Class 3ABy Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – Defense wins championships.And did Nazareth ever defend.The Roadrunners overcame a 12-6 deficit in the third set to defeat No. 1-ranked Belvidere North, 25-18, 20-25, 25-21, in the Class 3A championship match Saturday at Redbird Arena.Defense was the difference.The IHSA does not keep records for tournament digs, but ...

Montini rains on Pleasant Plains to claim 'inevitable' Class 2A championship

Pleasant Plains' Sienna Hadley (15) tries to beat the double block of Montini's Sienna Skarda (15) and Isabel Evenson (10) during Saturday's Class 2A championship game. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Class 2ABy Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – Death, taxes (for all but most major U.S. corporations) and Montini winning the Class 2A championship Saturday at Redbird Arena.Inevitable.From the time the IHSA released the enrollment ranges for the various fall sports back in late summer, there was very little short of an act of the Almighty ...

Presenting the Michio Chicago VBA Illprepvb.com 2021 Girls All-State Team

Willowbrook is the 2021 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Team of the Year after starting the season with 30 consecutive wins, handing eventual Class 4A champion Metea Valley one of its two losses and reaching the sectional finals at Class 4A runner-up Mother McAuley. Today, we are pleased to announce the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com 2021 Girls All-State Volleyball Team. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and in the clas...