Future 17-Elite was the top local finisher in the 17 Open division at last weekend's 2024 AAU/JVA Chi-town Boys Challenge at McCormick Place, outperforming its No. 8 seed heading into the tournament to place third. Notice: You may not distribute, modify, transmit, reuse, re-post, or use the content of the Site for public or commercial purposes, including the text, images, audio, and video, without Illprepvb.com, LLC’s written permission. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor“Not so fast. Not so fast!” – the Cowardly Lion in “The Wiza...
Peering into the crystal ball to see who’s gonna be naughty or nice in fall of 2025
Alayna Briggs (9) and Hartsburg-Emden will vie for their third consecutive trip to Redbird Arena in 2025. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorKeep thinking speculation.Every year, we at Illprepvb.com put together a list of the teams we believe can make some noise the following fall. IHSA Class 2A champion Breese Mater Dei and Class 4A champion Marist were among the 25 teams we spotlighted last year, and Class 1A champion (Hardin) Calhoun was listed among the teams to watch.The only team we totally missed was Cl...
Where are Illinois’ top girls volleyball recruits in the Classes of ’25, ’26 and ’27 headed?
(Updated December 1) Six-foot-5 junior middle hitter Lynney Tarnow (12) of Benet Academy has verbally committed to the University of Wisconsin. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) (Updated 3:45 p.m., Sunday, December 1)Illprepvb.com is creating a list of the top players in Illinois in the Classes of 2025 and 2026 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 playe...
Presenting the 2024 Michio Chicago VBA /Illprepvb.com Girls H.S. All-State Team
Benet Academy libero Aniya Warren is making her third consecutive appearance on the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Girls High School All-State Team and is widely considered one of the best liberos in the nation. She will continue her academic and athletic career at Pudue University. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Notice: You may not distribute, modify, transmit, reuse, re-post, or use the content of the Site for public or commercial purposes, including the text, images, audio, and video, without Illprepvb.com, LLC’s written permiss...
Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com Player of the Year Annie Eaton delivered for Raiders
Quincy Notre Dame setter Annie Eaton led the Raiders to 137 wins during her four-year career and ranks among the top five on the IHSA list of all-time career assist leaders. (Photos courtesy of Muddy River Sports). By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorAsk somebody who knows her, and they might tell you that despite her mind-numbing assist record set while at perennial Class 2A power Quincy Notre Dame, 5-8 setter Annie Eaton’s "best and prettiest” assist might not have even occurred on the volleyball court.Back in the spring of 2022,...
Here are the final 2024 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Girls H.S. Rankings
Bloomington Central Catholic's Kampbell Niepagen (7) lit up the scoreboard at Redbird (CEFCU) Arena last weekend. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThat’s a wrap on the 50th anniversary of the IHSA girls volleyball tournament.It’s time to close the books on a girls’ high school season (with the exception of the announcement of our all-state team later this month) that provided more than a few surprises.There was some talk last weekend about the IHSA possibly moving Saturday’s third-place games to an alte...
No sweat: Mahomet-Seymour rally stuns (Bartonville) Limestone in Class 3A final
(Bartonville) Limestone's Ella Karmenzind (24) soars for one of her 6 kills in the IHSA Class 3A championship game. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy Sharer Special to Illprepvb.comNORMAL – Down a set and trailing 19-11 in the second, Mahomet-Seymour seemed stuck between hopelessness and panic against (Bartonville) Limestone in the Class 3A state championship match at CEFCU Arena on Saturday.Appearances, however, were deceiving as the Bulldogs, No. 2 in the final Illprepvb.com state rankings, resuscitated themselves and their rauc...
Marist frustrates Benet in Class 4A final; Mater Dei repeats in 2A, Calhoun wins 1A
Bella Bullington had 16 kills to lead Marist to its first IHSA Class 4A championship since going back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – Someone along press row asked, “How do you explain it?”Sheer toughness, that’s how.“That’s an upset for the ages right there,” said Marist coach Jordan Vidovic. “No question about it. All toughness, right? You can have the biggest players, you can have a Division I roster, you can bring in transfers, you can do whatever you want, but you still g...
Mahomet-Seymour, Limestone reach 3A final; Marist, Benet to clash in Class 4A
Benet Academy's Keira O'Donnell had 6 kills and 2 blocks to lead the Redwings into Saturday's IHSA Class 4A championship game. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – You don’t have to remind the Benet Academy Redwings how their season has ended the last two years.Just don’t compare those teams to this year’s Redwings.“It’s a whole new season, a whole new team, so we’re just trying to treat it like a new opportunity, a clean slate,” said Benet Academy setter Audrey Asleson. “We obviously think about what happe...
Sixteen enter, four teams heave (IHSA championship trophies) this weekend
DePaul College Prep sophomore Kalia Kroth (13) led the Rams past St. Laurence in the IHSA Class 3A supersectional Monday at Hinsdale South. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – Gone is Mother McAuley. Gone, too, are Galena and St. Francis.Three new IHSA champions will be crowned this weekend at Redbird (now CEFCU) Arena on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal.But the drama only begins there.Can Benet Academy, which has played second fiddle to Mother McAuley each of the previous two seasons, cap...