Despite its loss to MOD B18 Blue at last weekend's 2026 Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge, its first loss in four head-to-head meetings with the MOD squad, 630 Volleyball 18-1 retained its No. 1 ranking in the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Boys Clyb Rankings heading into the IHSA boys spring season. (Photos courtesy of @RavenswoodUSA) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorIn the famous words of Gomer Pyle, USMC, “Surprise, surprise, surprise.”Save for a few here and there, boys club teams have broken camp to get ready for the I...

Twins Devan (Left) and Chloe Barrett helped lead Illini Elite 16 Black to a second-place finish in the 16/15 Open division at last weekend’s 2026 Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorChloe is eight minutes older.Devan is one inch taller.Chloe is a libero. Devan is on outside hitter.Together, the Barrett twins from tiny Athens, Illinois, helped lead Illini Elite 16 Black to a second-place finish in the 16/15 Open division at last weekend’s 2026 M...

ESVBC 16U Thunder National's Emerson Eeten (23) tries to split the block of a pair of Epic United 16 Elite defenders during 16/15 Open semifinal play at the 2026 Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge Monday at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorRed, White & Blue.Pick your favorite color and you had a Sports Performance 18s teams for which to cheer in the 18/17 Open and 18/17 Club division championships of the 2026 Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge on Monday at the...

SPVB B18 Elite won the 18/17 Boys division at the 2026 Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge on Sunday at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorInjuries. Illnesses. Absences. SPVB B18 Elite was reduced to a skeleton crew Sunday at the 2026 Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. The hosts had only eight healthy bodies available to take the court against a Gold bracket field that featured the top seven 18s teams in Illinois.But eight was enough.Led by...

Sports Performance's young boys 18 Elite team is 35-11 heading into this weekend's President's Day Challenge at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Auirora. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe 18 Open division is the gold standard by which all boys club teams are measured. California teams have dominated the division, both on the USAV side and more recently the AAU side, winning 11 nationals championships since 2010.Illinois club teams during that span?Zero 18 Open national titles.There have been close calls. Last summer, SPVB B18 El...

Five-foot-10 outside hitter Leah Oehmke (55) of Plainfield South will lead 1st Alliance 18 Gold into the 18 & Under division at the 2026 Triple Crown NIT in Kansas City, Missouri, this weekend. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor550 teams. 7,000 players. 550 college coaches.The 2026 Triple Crown NIT at the Bartle Hall Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri, draws teams from across the United States – from California to the west, the Gulf Coast to the south, the Carolinas to the east and everything in ...

630 Volleyball 18-1 established itself as a serious national championship contender with its win in Phoenix two weeks ago. (Photos courtesy of @RavenswoodUSA) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorTrust. Composure. Embracing the moment.How else do you explain going from 13th place in the 17 Open division at last summer’s AAU Boys National Volleyball Championships in Orlando to winning three consecutive tournament championships one year later, including the granddaddy of them all, the 2026 Mizuno Southwest Boys Classic in Phoenix?630 Volley...

Aubrey Fair (5) helped lead Bloomington Central Catholic ti a runner-up finish in the IHSA Class 2A tournament last fall. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe boys’ and girls’ club seasons are in full swing, and this week we continue our “Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week” series.The Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week recognizes those athletes whose performance on the court elevated their team through their exceptional play during a given week, often leading to significant victories or ...