Edwardsville celebrates a point in a recent match against O'Fallon. (Photo by Ric's Pics) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorEdwardsville is making the first of back-to-back visits to the Chicago area this weekend while competing in the Scholastic Cup tournament sponsored by St. Charles East and hosted by the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora.Next weekend, the Tigers will be back in town to play in the Fall Harvest Festival hosted by Plainfield Central.But Chicago is not the destination that is foremost in the Tigers’ thoughts. They...

Marist boys volleyball coach Jordan Vidovic (left background) was also a record-setting player in his day while attending Brother Rice. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Today, we continue to count down the 50 All-Time Best Illinois Boys Volleyball Players. The players were selected based on their athletic ability, their individual accomplishments on the court, how they impacted their team’s success, their place in IHSA history, and in some cases, how they continued to represent themselves and Illinois volleyball on the national and internati...

Former Mother McAuley star Katie O'Connell (No. 7, left) and Minooka standout Samantha Hermann (3) are two of the reasons Ferris State was ranked No. 17 in the AVCA Division II preseason poll. (Photos courtesy of Ferris State Athletics) Ferris State's Katie O'Connell. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comKatie O’Connell is doing it again.The Evergreen Park resident and former Mother McAuley and Michio Chicago Volleyball Academy star earned All-American honors in each of the past two seasons for Ferris State and she appears headed...

Glenbrook South's Ellen Chapman (20) participated in IHSA tournaments in volleyball and track before going on to a solid collegiate career at Wisconsin. (Photo courtesy of the University of Wisconsin) Today, we continue our countdown of the 100 All-Times Best Illinois Girls Volleyball Players with Nos. 61-70. Volleyball has come a long way since the IHSA began sponsoring a state tournament series in 1974. You might be hard-pressed to recognize the game. Not only have the rules changed, but so has the caliber of the athletes who compet...

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...

Nazareth advanced to the sectional championship match Wednesday at St. Ignatius by defeating Fenwick. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThere's no place like home for St. Ignatius. The Wolfpack took advantage of playing on their home floor and avenged an early-season loss with a 25-21, 25-20 win over Latin in the second semifinal of the Class 3A St. Ignatius Sectional on Monday.  McKenzie Washington had 10 kills to lead St. Ignatius (20-15), which will look for that home court magic to hold up o...

St. Viator is enjoying its most successful season since the 2017 team reached the Class 3A semifinals in Normal, an aspiration that is shared by this 2021 edition. Adversity.What was it that German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said? “That which does not kill us makes us stronger?"St. Viator is a much stronger volleyball team today than it was Tuesday.“We knew adversity would come our way,” said St. Viator setter Cailyn Harrington. “We had to face that today. We knew it was coming. We know Benet's a great team. Today, we were kind of prep...

Terri Narantic has officiated seven boys' state finals and was named the IHSA Boys Volleyball Official of the Year in 2007. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) “Without officials, it’s just recess.” High school officials protect the integrity of the games student-athletes play by demonstrating qualities like honesty, objectivity, consistency, courage and common sense. They help student-athletes learn life lessons that will benefit them for a lifetime.Illinois has been fortunate to have volleyball officials who are among the best in the business....

Fremd junior setter Rian Baker believes her coach's background in art melds into his coaching style, which she called "creative" and "non-traditional." (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comFremd coach Curt Pinley is a bit of a throwback.In an era where many people like to promote themselves on social media, Pinley prefers to ignore the hype, especially when it concerns his accomplishments.That’s why he didn’t tell his players before the March 16 season opener that a win would mean a career milestone. It was left to...

Former Cary-Grove star and Indiana recruit Colleen Smith battled an incurable disease to star at DePaul and eventually land a head coaching job at Cary-Grove conference rival Jacobs. (Photo courtesy of DePaul University) Colleen Smith served as assistant coach at Cary-Grove before she was hired to head the program at Jacobs. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comColleen Smith still remembers the day she learned the identity of her tormentor.It was September 22, 2011, early during Smith’s freshman year at Indiana, where the former Cary...