Matt Pollock (back row, No. 18) was named to the Chicago Sun-Times All-Area Boys Volleyball Team in 2008. (Sun-Times photo by Jean Lachat. Cover photo courtesy of JVC Civita Castellana) Matt Pollock played professionally overseas after graduating from Pepperdine. (Photo courtesy of JVC Civita Castellana) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comMatt Pollock is excited.But the Orland Park native and 2008 Sandburg graduate is not only excited about his new job as assistant men's volleyball coach at Pepperdine University, where he starr...
Hersey’s Lill reflects on long and winding road on way to joining 1,000-win club
Nancy Lill won her 1,000th career game as a varsity girls' coach at Hersey earlier this month. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Hersey coach Nancy Lill gives instructions to libero Maddie Mullin during the Mid-Suburban League championship game. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Nancy Lill believes things happen for a reason.That's led her to register over 1,000 wins as a girls’ volleyball coach.Lill, who has been the head coach at Hersey since 1988, reached that milestone on Friday, October 18. when the Huskies defeated Evanston, ...
Michio Chicago 15 National rules open division at JVA Summerfest in Columbus
Michio Chicago 15 National defeated CVC 15 Black to win the 15 Open division at the JVA Summerfest in Columbus last weekend. It was hot fun in the Summer(fest)time for Michio Chicago 15 National last weekend. Michio Chicago 15 National overcame the loss of one of their best attackers and a field of 36 teams Sunday to win the 15 Open division at the JVA Summerfest at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus. Ohio. Michio finished 7-0 in the tournament dropping only three sets along the way, defeating Tri-State Elite 15 Blue,...
A superstar spouse and help from a ‘guardian angel’ have Harlan back in the game
Dave Harlan (left) said the outpouring of love and support from the volleyball community following his heart attack made him feel "outstanding." Dave Harlan worked the Silver division of the Asics Challenge at Brother Rice. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Dave Harlan could feel a little discomfort in his left arm when he arrived at his Indian Head Park home after officiating a match between Plainfield Central and visiting Nazareth on August 27. But he shook it off.“My wife asked me, ‘What's wrong with you?’” Harlan said. “I said, ‘Nothing. I'm O...
Who’s qualified on the boys’ side for the USA Volleyball Junior Nationals?
Chicago Bounce 17 Red qualified for the 2019 USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships by finishing fifth in the 17 Open division at the Winter Volleyball Championships at McCormick Place in January. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Here are the Great Lakes Region qualifiers for the 2019 USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships, June 30-July 7, at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas, Texas:18 OpenAdversity B18 Adidas (Gateway Qualifier)Future 18 Elite (Gateway Qualifier)Pipeline 18 Nike (Gateway Qualifier)SPVB ...
From top to bottom and everywhere in the middle, Blue Steel VBC is about family
Blue Steel Volleyball Club's 16-1 boys team went 5-4 and finished 13th in the 16 USA division at the USAV Boys Junior National Championship. The team was coached by Melissa Massey (far right) and her sister, Lauren Martin (far left), and featured Massey's three sons -- Riley (23), Sutton (9) and Trent (standing behind Sutton) -- and Martin's son Landon (17). The first thing that jumps out at you when surveying the roster for the Boys BSVBC 16-1 team that competed at the recent USAV Boys Junior National Championship in Kansas City is th...
Sports Performance wins two national AAU 18’s championships; SPVB 18 Elite falls short
Sports Performance 18 Red defeated Southern Performance 17 National Shelbie, 25-22, 25-12, to win the 18 Club division. Sports Performance Volleyball Club out of Aurora won two national championships at last weekend's AAU 2019 18U Girls Nationals in Orlando, Florida.But the big prize got away.Sports Performance 18 Kahl (9-0) defeated Asics Munciana Quora, 25-20, 21-25, 15-11, in the title match to win the 18 Premier division, and Sports Performance 18 Red (8-0) stopped Southern Performance 17 National Shelbie, 25-22, 25-12, to win the 18 Cl...
Cook, Stone learning on the fly, while Future soars on the volleyball court
Future 18 Elite features several players from west suburban powerhouses Glenbard West and St. Francis, including James Meinhart and K.J. Glab. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comStarting a business is a heavy lift for anyone, but recent college graduates Nic Cook and Jacob Stone are seeing instant success.The long-time friends decided to hang out their own shingle after the club where Cook was coaching folded last year.Their new venture, Future Volleyball Club, is off to a great start. The Carol Stream-based ...
Where are the Illinois high school top boys’ volleyball recruits headed? (updated 4/28)
Loyola's Jack Howard is headed to Penn State next fall. (photo by Dave Ruggles) Illprepvb.com is creating a list of the top boys players in Illinois 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 2019 Ryne Anders, 5-7, L, Oswego/Club 1, Loras CollegeMarc Arsenault, 6-5, OH, Plainfield Central/Club 1 Volleyball Club, Siena Heights UniversityHunter Bailey, 6-7, MH, ...
Herscher goes all-in to make the 2019 season one for the record books
Illprepvb.com-ranked Herscher improved to 22-1 overall and 9-0 in the Illinois Central Eight with its 25-12, 25-15 win at Lisle Thursday. Twenty-one years.That’s how long Herscher has been waiting for team like this.You have to go back to the fall of 1998 when the 36-3 Tigers, led by former University of Illinois standout Sue Webber, reached the Sweet Sixteen. Wheaton St. Francis ended Herscher’s season that year, 15-7, 15-12, in a Class A supersectional.Herscher has not had a team like this one since. Thursday’s 25-12, 25-15 victory over L...