The girls' club season is well underway and it's time to sort of who's who among the best in Illinois for 2020. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) The Windy City Power League is underway and the 2020 girls club season is kicking into high gear.SPVB 18 Elite, Michio Chicago 17 National, SPVB 16 Elite and Lions 15-1 topped the 2019 final club rankings, and all four – despite the obvious personnel changes – are among the top five teams in their age groups heading into the 2020 campaign.So here they are, the initial 2020 Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com ...
Some movement in latest Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com Boys 16s, 15s Club Rankings
Despite dropping its first match of the weekend Saturday at the B16-Palos Point Series #4, SPVB B16 Elite finished atop the series' standings by winning its last five matches. The B16-Palos Point Series #4 concluded Sunday and most teams are looking ahead to this weekend’s Winter Volleyball Championships at McCormick Place, where teams in the 16 and 15 Open divisions will vie for one of nine bids to the 2020 USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships in Reno, Nevada, June 27-July 4. 2019-20 Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com Boys C...
Lions 15-1 roster is unique; UNO 16s, Sky High 15s, New WAVE 15s planning to peak
Lions 15-1 features an unusual roster in 2020 that includes three middle hitters and three setters. https://youtu.be/xC98jBFNf6U Last summer, Lions 15-1 finished fifth in the Open division at the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana.However, last year’s Lions 15-1 team and the 2020 edition bear little resemblance to each other.“The biggest difference right away is the height,” head coach Laura Burgarin said. “Last year, I had 6-foot-3, 6-2, 6-1 across the front row. I’m working with a little smaller g...
Who are some of Illinois' top uncommitted boys in the classes of 2020-22?
Illprepvb.com is compiling a list of the top uncommitted players in the classes of 2020-22. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Illprepvb.com is creating a list of the top boys players in Illinois in the classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022 who have yet to commit to a college or university and have indicated a desire to continue their volleyball careers. The following list includes players who compete at a very high level either for their high school or club teams. All high school coaches and club directors have been invited to contribute to this list. ...
Shake-up in latest Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com Boys 18s, 17s Club Rankings
Shane Ooms (far left) from Minooka and his UNO Boys 18 Elite teammates finished in 17th place in the 18 Open division at the SCVA 2020 Boys Junior Volleyball Invitational last weekend in Anaheim. The qualifier season is under way. Future 18 Elite and Chicago Bounce 18 Red both finished among the top 10 teams in the 18 Open division at last weekend’s 202 Southern California Volleyball Association Boys Junior Volleyball Invitational in Anaheim, while 630 Volleyball 17-1 finished third in the 17 USA division. The 2020 Boys Winter Vol...
Lenny eyes another run at USA title; Ultimate, VC United, CVC making strides
SPVB B18 Lenny features five players who return from last year's team that finished third in the 18 USA division at the USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships in Dallas, Texas. https://youtu.be/uD9zQD2XUUY There’s something about Lenny.Whether it’s chemistry, continuity or just top-to-bottom talent, Sports Performance’s “No. 2” team is hardly what most observers would consider a “second team.”SPVB 18 Lenny has been a fixture in the top brackets in the B18-Palos Points Series at Palos Courts this season. Saturday, after losi...
Former Sandburg star tackles new role as assistant coach at Pepperdine
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...
Sterling connection has Fusion 17 Red thinking big during the 2020 club season
The addition of four players from Sterling's Class 3A championship team, including Brooklyn Borum and Lexi Rodriguez, has Fusion 17 Red poised to make a run at a national championship in 2020. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) They’re getting the band back together in Batavia.Freshman Grace Egan, libero Lexi Rodriguez and twin sisters Brooklyn and Breelyn Borum teamed up to lead Sterling to its second consecutive IHSA Class 3A championship at Redbird Arena last fall.Now they’re getting together to try to go one better.The Sterling quartet, Belvider...
Adversity reaches into ranks of former Olympians to add new coach to staff
Adversity Volleyball Club has hired former Olympian and Pepperdine Hall of Famer Tom Sorensen to coach its boys and girls teams. (Photo by Dave Ruggles of Adversity 18 Adidas at last year's Winter Volleyball Championships) Tom Sorensen during his playing days at Pepperdine University. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comFew youth volleyball clubs can say they have a former Olympian on staff.Adversity is one of them.The Vernon Hills-based club recently hired Pepperdine Hall of Famer Tom Sorensen to coach both boys’ and girls’ teams. ...
Presenting the initial Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com Boys 16s, 15s Club Rankings
Adversity 16 Adidas finished third in Bracket AA last weekend at Palos Courts, falling to SPVB B16 Elite in the semifinals. Last week, we looked at the top 18s and 17s boys club teams in Illinois. This week, after three weeks of the Palos Point Series and a few other minor tournaments, we look at the top 16s and 15s. 2019-20 Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com Boys Club Rankings (Season-to-date record in parenthesis) 16s1. SPVB B16 Elite (16-1)The boys from Aurora avenged their only loss of the young season, defeating Adversity 16 Ad...