Jane Manecke (9) and Nazareth Academy rode a late-season surge to the IHSA Class 3A finals before falling to No. 1-ranked Normal U-High. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Do you avoid black cats, walking under a ladder or opening an umbrella indoors?Do you knock on wood to avoid bad luck?Do you stay in bed on Friday the 13th? Do you wear the same socks (or underwear) as long as your team continues to win?How superstitious are you? Superstitions exist in volleyball, too. For example, one has to won...
Marist makes it two in a row over Benet; U-High, Columbia, Cissna Park earn titles
Benet's Brooklynne Brass (5) led the Redwings with 9 kills Saturday, but it was for naught as Marist won the Class 4A championship match, 25-18, 25-17. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor NORMAL – The IHSA Class 4A championship is taking permanent residence on the south side. Marist used a 6-0 run to overcome a 13-11 deficit in the first set, and controlled most of the second set to avenge a regular-season loss to Benet Academy and defeat the Redwings, 25-18, 25-17, Saturday at CEFCU Arena on the campus of Il...
Normal U-High ends Prairie Ridge’s run; Marist, Benet to meet again for 4A crown
Maggie Kurpeikis (2) digs a ball out of the net during Marist's victory over Fremd in the second IHSA Class 4A semifinal Friday. Marist will meet Benet Academy for the Class 4A championship Saturday night at CEFCU Arena in Normal. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.com NORMAL — With the weight of history adding extra pop to every swing, the Normal University High volleyball team had its fans in a frenzy on Friday night.Located a three-minute walk from CEFCU Arena, Normal U-High turned in a scrappy 25-20, 25-18 sw...
Cissna Park hopes third time’s a charm: Lockport, Prairie Ridge returning to CEFCU
Addison Lucht (9) notched 16 kills while leading Cissna Park to a 25-22, 25-11 Class 1A Heyworth Supersectional victory over Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg on Monday. Battling Lucht were Zoey Conder (9) and Kalia Friese (6). (Photo by Randy Sharer) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comHEYWORTH – More muscle, more experience and more imperviousness to pressure earned Cissna Park a third consecutive berth in the Class 1A state volleyball tournament on Monday. The Timberwolves, who coop with Buckley Christ Lutheran, collected their 23...
Marist, Enselman chill Mother McAuley; Benet remains calm vs. St. Charles North
Benet Academy middle hitter Lynney Tarnow (12) hits off the block attempt of St. Charles North's Brynn Hopkins (21) in the Class 4A sectional championship match at Glenbard West on Thursday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comHaven Enselman helped to lead Hickory Creek Middle School in Frankfort to Illinois Elementary School Association Class 4A state girls volleyball titles in her seventh and eighth grade seasons. How, as a freshman setter at Marist, Enselman hopes to help the RedHawks repeat as IHSA Class 4A c...
Marist set for rematch with McAuley; Nazareth ends Timothy’s Class 3A foray
Timothy Christian's Bella Potempa (10) had 14 kills and 9 digs in the Trojans' 26-24, 25-17 loss to Nazareth Academy in the Class 3A sectional semifinal Tuesday in Elmhurst. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comIt's Marist and Mother McAuley … again. The two neighborhood rivals, who have combined to capture the last three IHSA Class 4A championships and six overall since 2016, will face each other once more at 6:00 p.m. Thursday for the sectional championship at Rich Township.In Tuesday’s first sectional semifinal...
Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb Player of the Week Haley Burgdorf shone brightest among Stars
St. Charles North's Haley Burgdorf accounted for more than 1,000 kills over the past two seasons ro lead the North Stars to back-to-back sectional championship match appearances. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Illinois volleyball fans might have gotten to know St. Charles North’s 6-2 outside hitter Haley Burgdorf a little better had not one thing stood between her and an appearance in the IHSA Class 4A semifinals at Redbird Arena the past two seasons.But now, a national audience will get to learn about ...
New faces, same results. SPVB B18 Bravo wins gold at the Chi-Town Boys Challenge
SPVB B18 Elite finished ninth in the 18 Open division at the 2025 AAU/JVA Chi-Town Boys Challenge at McCormick Place. https://youtu.be/b-EALao5p50 By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe names have changed, but one thing hasn’t … the winning.SPVB B18 Bravo, which won an AAU national championship in the 18 Select division last summer in Orlando, defeated MAVS 18 Red (Lenexa, Kansas), 25-23, 25-22, to win the 18 Elite division at the 2025 AAU/JVA Chi-Town Boys Challenge Monday at McCormick Place.None of last year’s Bravo cast returned ...
Downers Grove South reverses the flow in the third set to sideline St. Ignatius
St. Ignatius' Skylar Greene, shown earlier this year during the Mizuno Crimson Classic, was forced to leave Thursday's regional championship match after suffering a gash on her right knee after crashing into the stands chasing a loose ball late in the second set. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorSt. Ignatius ebbed when it should have flowed, and when the door opened, Downers Grove South just couldn’t say no.Downers Grove South used a 9-0 run midway through the third set to erase an 11-9 deficit, then weathered ...
Looking for players to watch during the IHSA tournament? Here are 30 of them
Addison Nenninger has set two IHSA championship teams for Breese Mater Dei. Can she make it three in a row? By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorIf you love high school volleyball but your favorite team is eliminated from postseason contention, yet you still want to see some great volleyball, we’ve put a list together of some players you might want to catch while your team looks ahead to next year.Check them out. It promises to be the best two hours or so you’ll spend before the extended family invades your home at Thanksgiving and...