(Photos by Dave Ruggles) Which teams will have firepower aplenty come the fall of 2020? Will Decatur St. Teresa and Breese Mater Dei meet for a second consecutive year in the IHSA Class 2A championship match? The IHSA’s arbitrary “rolling of the peas” could be the only impediment.Will Benet repeat in Class 4A one year after the Redwings prevented Marist from winning a third consecutive IHSA championship? Can Sterling join St. Francis as the only teams to three-peat in 3A? Can Norris City-Omaha-Enfield get back to Redbird Arena without Emile...
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Where are Illinois' top girls' volleyball recruits headed? (updated 12/2)
Isabella Biesterfeld, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter who plays for (Crete) Illinois Lutheran and Ultimate Volleyball Club, recently signed a letter of intent to play for Western Illinois University in Macomb. Illprepvb.com is creating a list of the top players in Illinois in the Classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022 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 p...
Jakubowski goes the extra mile for inexperienced Huntley team
Seton Hall-bound setter Taylor Jakubowski has led Huntley to a 18-2 record despite the graduation of seven seniors and several key starters from last year's 35-4 team. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) (Editor's note: This story originally ran on October 9, 2019) Huntley's 5-foot-8 senior setter Taylor Jakubowski. Although no exacting scientific study has been published on the subject, some estimates put the distance a setter runs during a match at anywhere from a half-mile to three miles.Then there are days where a setter may feel like the...
Illprepvb.com announces 2019 Player, Team, Coach of the Year and First Team All-State
Huntley's Taylor Jakubowski, who concluded her stellar four-year varsity career as Illinois' second all-time assist leader, is the 2019 Illprepvb.com Player of the Year. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we are pleased to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls First Team All-State Volleyball Team, our Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and Team of the Year. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the Illprepvb.com all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and in the classroom...
Sterling’s Rodriguez, WW South’s Meyer head Illprepvb.com All-State Second Team
Sterling junior Lexi Rodriguez, a Nebraska recruit, assumed an expanded role as libero and setter to help lead the Golden Warriors to a second consecutive IHSA Class 3A championship. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we continue to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls All-State Volleyball Team with those players named to the Second Team. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the Illprepvb.com all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and in the classroom as high school stu...
Marist’s Arundel, St. Teresa’s Huck head Illprepvb.com All-State Third Team
Maddie Arundel was among Marist's leaders in almost every statistical category. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we continue to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls All-State Volleyball Team with those players named to the Third Team. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the Illprepvb.com all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and in the classroom as high school student-athletes, not on any future potential or current recruitment status. Players represent all four IHS...
M-R’s Gillen, BHRA’s Meidel head 2019 Girls All-State Honorable Mention Team
Joliet Catholic's Bella Ray (left) led the Angels to a second-place finish in Class 3A. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). Today, we continue to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls All-State Volleyball Team with those players named Honorable Mention. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the Illprepvb.com all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and in the classroom as high school student-athletes, not on any future potential or current recruitment status. Players represent all...
Announcing the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls All-State Special Mention Volleyball Team
Sophomore Kennedi Burnett (left) led St. Joseph-Ogden to a third-place finish in the IHSA Class 2A tournament. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we begin to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls All-State Volleyball Team with those players named Special Mention. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the Illprepvb.com all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and in the classroom as high school student-athletes, not on any future potential or current recruitment status. Playe...
Final 2019 Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com rankings, and what lies ahead?
Zayna Meyer (left) and Wheaton Warrenville South rode some mid-season changes to the IHSA Class 4A finals at Redbird Arena. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) The 2019 season is in the record books.Newark and Sterling repeated. Benet denied Marist’s bid to three-peat. St. Teresa ruled Class 2A. But once again, the tournament reinforced the idea that the final eight teams in each class, if not the final 16, should be seeded, and the “rolling of the peas” abandoned. And while they’re at it, “geographic representation” should be trashed, too.The...
Benet leaves little doubt as to who’s No. 1, beats WW South for Class 4A crown
Sophie Gregus (21) led Benet with 8 kills during Saturday's IHSA Class 4A championship match at Redbird Arena. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Benet juniors Kyla Kenney (left) and Caroline Doyle collide while going for a dig during Saturday's championship match. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) NORMAL – Benet saved the last point for Colleen McGuire.And the 5-foot-10 senior outside hitter delivered.“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” McGuire said. “This is my last point, and being able to go out on that is something I never could have even asked for. It’s ...