Ryann DeJarld, who played at Mother McSAuley and later at Notre Dame, was the last playerr honored as "Player of the Year" by the Chicago Sun-Times before it discontinued its coverage of all high school sports other than football and boys basketball in the spring of 2015. (Photo courtesy of the University of Notre Dame) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorDid you know that girls were not permitted to participate in interscholastic volleyball contests until 1973?Then during the 1974-75 school year, the IHSA sponsored its first volleyball t...
Presenting the 2022 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Girls All-State Team
All that stood between Chillicothe IVC's Kenna Wollard and the top spot on the IHSA all-time career kill list was a COVID-shortened season in 2020. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we are pleased to announce the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com 2022 Girls All-State Volleyball Team. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the 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 sta...
Presenting the 2022 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Honorable Mention Team
Genoa-Kingston libero Hannah Langton became her school's season and career digs leader this fall. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we are pleased to announce the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com 2022 Girls All-State Volleyball Honorable Mention Team. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the 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. These players excelled on t...
Presenting the 2022 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Special Mention Team
Oswego East's Vivian Campbell (far court) led the Wolves to a Southwest Prairie Conference title and one of the best seasons in school historty. On the home page is Joliet Catholic's Ava Neushwander. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we are pleased to announce the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com 2022 Girls All-State Volleyball Special Mention Team. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and in the classroom as high school stu...
Be like … Sophie? Arndt is Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Player of the Year
Lucy Arndt (12) grew up wanting to emulate former Aquin great Sophie Brunner, who led the Bulldogs to two IHSA championships in basketball. Leading Aquin to an IHSA Class 1A championship this fall certainly qualifies. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comFreeport Aquin’s Lucy Arndt grew up wanting to emulate Sophie Brunner, who led the Aquin girls’ basketball team to IHSA Class 1A championships in 2011-12 and 2012-13 before playing at Arizona State University and briefly in the WNBA and Italy.Arndt did emulate ...
Here are the final 2022 1st Alliance VBC/Illprepvb.com Girls H.S. Rankings
Genoa-Kingston assistant coach Marv Leavitt (white jacket), who won more than 700 matches as a head coach at St. Charles North, St. Edward and Burlington Central, lets the Cogs know where they placed in the IHSA Class 2A tournament. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) In the immortal words of the late Bill Paxton ("Aliens"), “That's it, man. Game over, man. Game over.” Game over.Last weekend’s IHSA championships were a mixed bag of old and new. Mother McAuley won its state-record 16th IHSA championship, while St. Francis, which won 12 ...
McAuley's chemistry produces IHSA title No. 16; Barrington claims third place
Benet freshman Lynney Tarnow slams a kill past Mother McAuley defenders Ellie White (8) and Ellery Rees (9). (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor NORMAL – No. 16?Mother McAuley had the formula.Junior outside hitter Ellie White had 20 kills, 9 digs and a block and the Mighty Macs shook off a long Benet run that forced a third game to claim its record 16th IHSA championship by beating the Redwings, 25-22, 17-25, 25-14, in the IHSA Class 4A championship match Saturday at Redbird Arena. The difference? Chem...
Where are Illinois' top girls' volleyball recruits in the Classes of '23, '24 headed?
(Updated 11/25) Naperville North's Paige Lauterwasser (14) will continue her academic and athletic career at the University of Wyoming. (Photo b Dave Ruggles) Illprepvb.com is creating a list of the top players in Illinois in the Classes of 2023 and 2024 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 players that have been submitted so far.If you know o...
St. Francis denies Nazareth to claim title No. 13; Joliet Catholic stops Taylorville for third
St. Francis outside hitter Anna Paquette tries to slip a kill past a pair of Nazareth defenders during the Spartans' victory in the Class 3A championship game Saturday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comNORMAL – Addy Horner wasn't afraid to step up with the match on the line.The sophomore setter/rightside hitter delivered a championship for St. Francis. Horner hammered the match-winning kill as the Spartans scored the final 3 points of the match and nudged Nazareth, 25-23, 25-23, in the Class 3A championsh...
Aquin feels no pressure in 1A; G-K's Pierce puts dagger in IC Catholic's 2A title bid
Alayna Pierce (16) had 18 kills to lead Genoa-Kingston past IC Catholic Prep in the Class 2A championship match Saturday at Redbird Arena. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor NORMAL -- Genoa-Kingston’s Alayna Pierce didn’t have the kind of performance she had hoped for in the Cogs’ semifinal victory Friday over Chillicothe IVC. The 5-foot-11 junior had 8 kills, but those came at the expense of 38 attempts and 9 errors for a -.025 hitting percentage.So, Pierce went back to the drawing board.“At practice this mor...