Former Newark star and Horizon League freshman of the year Madi Malone said if her former coach decides to return to the sidelines, she would support her in "any way." (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Tonya Grayson won more than 500 games and 18 conference titles as head coach at Newark By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comWhen Tonya Grayson took over the girls’ volleyball program at Newark in 2001, the Class 1A school in Kendall County was known as a basketball school.Two decades later, that is no longer the case.The Norsemen became a volleyba...
Emerging from mom's shadow, Kenny sisters hope to make a little history of their own
Sisters Hannah, a 5-7 freshman, and Calli, a 5-9 sophomore, are the daughters of former Willowbrook three-sport standout and Austin Peay Hall of Fame member Andrea Miller, who never won a regional title at the Villa Park school. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comWhen your mother is known as the best female athlete in school history, it is natural to feel some pressure when trying to follow in her footsteps.But that doesn’t seem to be an issue for Willowbrook’s Calli and Hannah Kenny. They are the daughters of Andrea Miller, a 1992 Wil...
Isn't it about time the IHSA created a 'true' girls state volleyball tournament?
You don't always have to go to Normal to see what could be the game to determine the state champion. Class 4A powers Mother McAuley and Marist will likely meet in a sectional final November 3 at McAuley, while St. Thomas More and Norris City-Omaha-Enfield are perhaps destined for a supersectional clash November 5 at Casey (Westfield). (Photos by Dave Ruggles) (Editor’s note: Several coaches asked to remain anonymous, so Illprepvb.com decided to protect all the identities of all contributors). It’s time for the IHSA to take another look...
Players pull together to help their downstate town recover from '1,000-year' flood
Between 9 and 10 inches of rain fell on Gibson City on August 12 during what weather experts called "a 1,000-year event," cutting outside access to the community and forcing scores of residents to evacuate. (Photo courtesy of WAND-TV). By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comGIBSON CITY – When it came to a team building exercise, the Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley High School volleyball team got all it could handle on August 12 when between 9.5 and 10 inches of rain fell on Ford County within five hours.After many Gibson City homeowners ...
Powered by the Stovall ladies, tiny Aquin is the little school that could
Thought the IHSA lists its enrollment as 88.5 students, (Freeport) Aquin has an actual enrollment of 75 students this fall. Fourteen of them participate in the volleyball program. Bentleah Stovall By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comWhen (Freeport) Aquin coach Robyn Stovall went to dinner with her family one recent Friday night, she had one request.“I said no volleyball talk,” Stovall said.That’s easier said than done considering she coaches her daughters, Bentleah and Ainsley, and the Bulldogs soon could be the talk of the town afte...
Marching to her own beat, Minooka's Jada Hampton kills it on bass drum, too
Middle blocker Jada Hampton (10, on right, with Desiree Anderson) was a big part of the 2019 Minooka team that went 32-8 and reached the supersectional before falling to eventual Class 4A state champion Benet. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comJada Hampton marches to the beat of a different drummer.Her own.Hampton is a standout middle hitter for the Minooka volleyball team. But the 6-foot-1 inch senior also does something else. She plays the bass drum in the Indian's marching band. "I've got many big respo...
Middle, outside or back row, DGN's Wolkow excels everywhere she goes
As a freshman, Downers Grove North's Gwen Wolkow (back row, fourth from right) was a starting middle hitter on the team that finished second in the state in Class 4A. Downers Grove North's Gwen Wolkow Gwen Wolkow loves to fish. She doesn’t like fish. But she loves fishing.Wolkow also loves volleyball. Since her freshman year, when she was a starting middle hitter on the Downers Grove North team that finished second in the state in Class 4A, she has developed into one of the top outside hitters and all-around players in Illinois.“She's th...
Former Geneva great finds herself in the last place she expected to be – home
Lauren (Wicinski) Kosecki led Michigan State to a pair of NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances after starring at Northern Illinois University for two seasons. (Photos courtesy of Michigan State Athletic Department) Lauren (Wicinski) Kosecki. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comLauren Kosecki had no intention of going home.The former Geneva star was enjoying life deep in the heart of Texas, teaching and coaching in the Houston area, where she met her husband, Matthew.“At the time, I was like, ‘I’m not coming home, I don’t want to be cold...
Where will Wrobel land on list of Sports Performance greats? 'That's up to her'
Plainfield North's Ella Wrobel (88) and her SPVB 18 Elite teammates are working toward winning a national AAU title next month in Orlando. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Kelly Murphy. Lauren Carlini. Colleen Ward. Kelsey Robinson. Taylor Landfair. Nellie Spicer. Tracey Marshall.Ella Wrobel?Sports Performance has produced some of the best volleyball players in the country. U.S. Olympians. All-Americans. NCAA champions.Could Wrobel be the next player to join that exemplary list?“Hopefully,” said Sports Performance’s Rick Butler. “That’s not up to me...
Presenting the Sports Performance VBC/Illprepvb.com Boys Player of the Year
Lake Park's Josh Schellinger was the third of three siblings to play volleyball for the Roselle school, following in the footsteps of older brother Nick and older sister Ally. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) University of California-San Diego recruit Josh Schellinger. Mr. Irreplaceable?Volleyball is a way of life in the Schellinger household. Recent high school graduate, 6-foot-6 outside hitter Josh Schellinger, followed in the footsteps of his older brother, Nick, and older sister, Ally, to play volleyball at Lake Park.Siblings begetting siblin...