IC Catholic Prep's Ava Falduto will head to Penn State University to play libero when her high school career ends in two years. (Cover photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorState.Hall of Fame coach Jean Field led Immaculate Conception (now IC Catholic Prep) to Redbird Arena six times during her long and storied career, winning Class A championships in 1981 and 1984 and a Class 2A title in 2013.IC Catholic Prep has not been back since. Ava Falduto wants to change that.“Lucy (5-0 junior setter Russ) and I have been on v...
Grayson steps away (but not too far) after nearly three decades as a player, coach
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 ...
Presenting the 2021 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Boys All-State Volleyball Team
Glenbrook North libero Paul Wyszynski helped to lead the Spartans to an IHSA championship and a 25-0 season. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we are pleased to announce the 2021 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Boys All-State Volleyball Team, our third annual effort to honor the best boys high school volleyball players in Illinois.Coaches were invited to nominate players to the all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and as high school student-athletes, not on any future potential or c...
Presenting the Illprepvb.com/Michio Chicago VBA 2021 'Team(s) of the Year'
Would Benet have won its fifth Class 4A title in 10 years had not the fall season been postponed and the spring season shortened by the pandemic? We'll never know, but after watching the Redwings defeat Mother McAuley, which was unbeaten at the time, and later Marist in the East Suburban Catholic Conference Tournament finals, you would have to like their chances. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) The IHSA wouldn’t decide. There were no statewide polls to settle matters. Nobody drew straws or flipped a coin. Ask most fans and/or media, and you are u...
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...
Recruiting 101: What you can do to help college coaches find you
Former Benet setter Ally Van Eekeren is one of hundreds of former Illinois high school stars now playing at the collegiate level. Some are discovered by coaches. But many handle their own recruiting. (Photo courtesy of Creighton Athletics) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comMajor life choices that come up for the first – and perhaps only – time can be challenging.Take, for example, volleyball players looking to continue their careers in college.By the time they learn the ins-and-outs of the recruiting process, they may wish they’d had...