The ‘White’ stuff: SPVB 16 White wins national championship on final day of AAUs

SPVB 16 White dominated the field in the 16 Spirit division at the 50th annual AAU Girls National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Florida, this week. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorORLANDO, Florida – Twelve teams from Illinois advanced to the championship brackets of their respective divisions Thursday at the at the 50th annual AAU Girls National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Florida.Six survived their first-round matches.But only one thrived. SPVB 16 White defeated Lake NONA 16 Willie (Orlando, Florida), 25-19, 25-16...

Presenting SPVB/Illprepvb.com’s list of the top 100 boys club players in Illinois

Ultimate VBC's Tyler Tharpe (Whitney Young) has only been playing volleyball for three years, but has been so impressive that he will be continuing his athletic and academic ccareer at Ohio State. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe top club teams from Illinois and throughout the United States will soon fly south to compete in the 2023 AAU Boys Junior National Volleyball Championships at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orange County, Florida, Saturday-Tuesday, July 1-4.We have compiled a list of th...

1st Alliance 17 Black wins AAU 17 Club title; MOD Elite G17 Blue third in Premier

1st Alliance 17 Black rallied from down a set to defeat VCNebraska 17 Black and win the 17 Club division national championship Sunday in Orlando, Florida. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorORLANDO, Florida – Paint it black.  As in 1st Alliance 17 Black.The Woodridge crew rallied after dropping the first set to defeat VCNebraska 17 Black (Lincoln, Nebraska), 18-25, 26-24, 15-7, to win the 17 Club division Sunday at the 50th annual AAU Girls National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Florida.After losing the first set, 1st Alliance...

There’s no stopping SPVB 18 Red, which wins its third straight AAU championship

Eastside Volleyball 18U Ninjas finished third in the 18 Club division at the 50th AAU Girls National Volleyball Championships in Orlando. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorORLANDO, Florida – “Someone stop me. Oh, someone please, just try and stop me.” – Katharine Hepburn in the 1938 movie classic, “Holiday,” with Cary Grant.There must be something to this red(head) mystique.Seeded fifth in the field of 58 teams, Sports Performance 18 Red won its third consecutive national championship, defeating Mill City 18s (Lowell, Massachusetts), 25-...

Ultimate-ly, teams from up north are the big cheeses at Windy City Round-Up

MOD B18 Blue's Connor Durst (Glenbrook North) slaps a kill past a pair of MVC 18-Greek defenders durng the north shore club's 18 Open semifinal loss Sunday at McCormick Place. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe aroma of cheddar, brats and Blatz permeated the air last weekend at McCormick Place.Thank goodness for a little breath of fresh air from SPVB B15 Elite.There was a simple reason clubs from north of the border dominated the 2023 AAU/JVA Windy City Round-Up, with Milwaukee-based clubs winning three of th...

SPVB 18 Elite’s journey to AAU title game is its own reward; Kahl finishes third

A key injury early in its semifinal match stalled SPVB 18 Kahl's drive to the 18 Premier chamionship game at the 50th AAU Girls National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Florida. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorORLANDO, Florida – Sometimes it’s about the journey, not the destination.SPVB 18 Elite, seeking its first national title since 2018 when it defeated Munciana 18 Samurai twice in 24 hours, lost to its neighbors from across the border Saturday in the championship match of the 18 Open division at the 50th annual AAU Girls Natio...

Hope ramps up as season winds down for several nat’l tournament contestants

Illini Elite 15 Cardinal, which finished second at the JVA World Challenge in mid-April, has its sights set on winning a national championship in Orlando. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorIllini Elite 15 Cardinal coach Kyle Caldwell is not ready for the club season to end.“I’m not ready,” he said. “This group is a lot of fun. They're good kids. They work hard. They’re everything you ask for in a team.”But end it must, either at the 2023 USAV Girls Junior 14s-17s National Championship at McCormick Place, June 28-July 6, or the 2023 AAU ...

Presenting the SPVB/Illprepvb.com top 100 (and then some) girls club players

Addison Horner (8), Abby VanderWal (on home page) and 1st Alliance 16 Gold are favored to bring hme a national championship from the USAV Girls Junior National Championship at McCormick Place. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNeed something to do for the next few weeks? The top girls club teams from Illinois will either fly east down the Eisenhower or southeast via Southwest to compete in the 2023 USAV Girls Junior 14s-17s National Championship at McCormick Place, June 28-July 6, or the 2023 AAU Girls Junior...

Presenting the 2023 Sports Performance VBC/Illprepvb.com Boys All-State Team

Glenbard West's Parker Moorhead led the Toppers to their second consecutive IHSA championship last weekend at Hoffman Estates. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Notice: You may not distribute, modify, transmit, reuse, re-post, or use the content of the Site for public or commercial purposes, including the text, images, audio, and video, without Illprepvb.com, LLC’s written permission.By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorToday, we are pleased to announce the 2023 Sports Performance VBC/Illprepvb.com Boys All-State Volleyball Team, our fifth annua...

No turning back SPVB/Illprepvb.com Player of the Year Chance Shampine

Chance Shampine overcame a serious back injury as a junior to lead Glenbrook South to its first IHSA quarterfinal berth since 2014 and become the first Player of the Year from the Glenview school since Sam Kim earned the honor from the Chicago Sun-Times in 2003. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comChance Shampine’s junior season didn’t go the way he expected.His senior season didn’t go the way anybody else expected.The Glenbrook South star missed more than half of the 2022 season with a serious back injury.“I...