Fremd's Victoria Belmonte overcame a devastating knee injury to lead her team to a Mid-Suburban West division title and an IHSA Class 4A sectional championship last fall. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Fremd/Adversity VBC setter Victoria Belmonte By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.com PALATINE – Victoria Belmonte never set out to become invisible. Some of the worst-timed knee injuries imaginable, however, have camouflaged the Fremd High School volleyball star’s considerable talent to the point of making her almost undetectable. Lo...
USAV’s dance card is steadily filling up; here’s who is going where and when
1st Alliance 18 Gold defeated Adidas KIVA 18 Red, 25-22, 22-25, 15-13, to win the 18 Open division at last weekend's 25 Nike Mideast Qualifier in Indianapolis. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor First, congratulations to 1st Alliance 18 Gold (18 Open), 1st Alliance 17 Gold (17 Open) and 1st Alliance 18 White (18 American) who won their respective divisions at the 25 Nike Mideast Qualifier last weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.The 2025 USAV Girls 18s Junior National Championship will be held at the Salt Palace Convention Center i...
Where are Illinois’ top girls’ volleyball recruits in the classes of ’24, ’25 and ’26 headed?
(Updated August 2) Six-foot-4 sophomore middle hitter Lynney Tarnow of Benet Academy has verbally committed to the University of Wisconsin. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) (Updated 7:45 p.m., Friday, August 2)Illprepvb.com is creating a list of the top players in Illinois in the Classes of 2024 and 2025 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...
Where are Illinois’ top boys volleyball recruits in the Class of ’24 headed?
(Updated 7/31) Jack Mally, a 6-6 outside hitter from Geneva and Sports Performance VBC, has committed to Loyola University-Chicago. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) (Updated, 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 31)Illprepvb.com is creating a list of the top Illinois boys volleyball players from the Class of 2024 who have committed to a college or university to continue their volleyball careers. If you are a coach, club director or parent and know of a player who should be on this list, please contact us at Illprepvb@gmail.com.Class of 2024 Glenbard West's...
In memoriam …
Former Chicago Sun-Times sportswriter/editor Steve Tucker passed away Friday, May 10, at the age of 74. Steve “Tuck” TuckerFormer sportswriter/editor, Chicago Sun-TimesDecember 5, 1948-May 10, 2024Tucker become a stringer for the Chicago Sun-Times in 1984, often covering area sporting events. Eventually, Steve became a supervising editor for the Sun-Times’ high school sports section. He also was assigned to cover many state tournament events. In addition, Steve was involved with an Amateur Athletics Union high school girls’ basketball t...
Beach volleyball explodes on college level, providing more opportunities for girls
Jessica Horwath, who led Barrington to consecutive IHSA Class 4A third-place finishes, is now playing beach volleyball at the University of Arizona where she posted a 20-11 record as a freshman. (Photo courtesy of the University of Arizona Athletic Department) Editor's note: The 2024 National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Chamionship gets underway Friday at Gulf Place in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Beach volleyball, also known as sand volleyball, has been gaining popularity on the college level in recent years. With its fast-paced, exciting gam...
NCAA’s new double contact rule: is it good or bad for high school volleyball?
The NCAA is also adopting a new rule to allow the use of two liberos during the same set, although only one can be on the floor at a time. The rationale for the proposal is to allow more players the opportunity to compete and to increase action and improve play. The National Federation of State High School Associations may also explore adopting that rule. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorYou could soon see fewer double contacts called in high school volleyball.The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel recently ap...
Presenting the Sports Performance VBC/ Illprepvb.com top 100 boys club players
Loyola-Chicago recruit Jack Mally of Geneva returns after helping to lead Sports Performance's 18 Elite team to a fifth-place finish in the 18 Open division at last summer's AAU Boys National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, the best finish by an Illinois 18 Open entry in Florida. On the home page is Adam Graham of 630 Volleyball VBC by way of Glenbard West. (Photos by Dave Ruggles). (Originally published October 20, 2023)By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorWhile the girls’ high school season begins its inevitable drawdow...
Day One: David Vales won’t let cancer steal his hope, his joy, or his love
David Vales has been a positive influence on young people throughout his 27-year career of coaching boys and girls volleyball and teaching math at Sandburg High School in Orland Park. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Sandburg boys' and girls' volleyball coach David Vales. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comDay One.That’s the motto Sandburg volleyball coach David Vales has lived by since the beginning of 2020, when he decided to change his mindset.“That year I gave up pizza, sweets, pop and fast food for the whole year, even before COVID,”...
Together at last, Minooka’s Brass sisters hope to create golden memories on the court
Minooka's Brooklyn Brass (far right) played club volleyball for Sports Performance's 15 Elite team last season. This fall at Minooka, she'll finally be able to play with her two older sisters, twins Kennedi and Makenzie, (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comPeople often assume that Minooka sisters Kennedi, Makenzie and Brooklyn Brass are triplets.They are only two-thirds right.Seniors Kennedi and Makenzie are triplets, but with their brother Trey, who plays basketball.Brooklyn, a sophomore, is two years younge...