Benet Academy improved to 2-1 on the young season with a 27-25, 25-18 victory Thursday over visiting Hinsdale South. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorBenet Academy’s Matthew Swiatkowski had a quiet first set Thursday against visiting Hinsdale South. But boy, did he explode in the second.Swiatkowski slammed 6 kills and added a block in the second set as Benet Academy defeated previously unbeaten Hinsdale South, 27-25, 25-18, Thursday in Lisle.Benet Academy escaped a tight first set, breaking a 25-25 tie on a kill and a block by 5-11 se...
‘My love for the game kept me going;’ Fremd’s hidden gem sets in plain sight
Fremd's Victoria Belmonte overcame a devastating knee injury to lead her team to a Mid-Suburban West division title and an IHSA Class 4A sectional championship last fall. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Fremd/Adversity VBC setter Victoria Belmonte By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.com PALATINE – Victoria Belmonte never set out to become invisible. Some of the worst-timed knee injuries imaginable, however, have camouflaged the Fremd High School volleyball star’s considerable talent to the point of making her almost undetectable. Lo...
Hitting from here, there and everywhere, WW South’s Bratt lights up Downers South
Wheaton Warrenville South junior Simon Bratt (right) had 18 kills and 5 aces, and Mergen Purevsuren (left) added 6 kills and 5 digs in the Tigers' victory Monday at Downers Grove South. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comSimon Bratt is no longer a secret.Everyone is aware of what the Wheaton Warrenville South outside junior hitter can bring. What some may not know is where exactly he’s going to bring it from.The Tigers utilized Bratt in several different locations during Monday’s season opener with host Downers Grove South. He responded...
Lake Park’s Carter Gibbons makes York pay for last season’s sectional spanking
Lake Park avenged a 2024 sectional semifinal loss to York on Wednesday behind (from left) Saif Akhtar, freshman setter Jake Ellenbecker, junior Ethan Schnabel, Michael Ogorzalek, junior Nolan Cocat, Carter Gibbons, Dylan Roszak and junior Anthony Bellavia. (Cover photo by Mike Cocat) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorCarter Gibbons remembers something he’d much rather forget.“Coming back, especially in their home gym, and beating them was nice to get a little revenge for last year,” Gibbons said.Prior to Wednesday, the last time Lake Pa...
Rebuilding? No, ‘restructured’ Wheaton Academy turns back Ridgewood rallies
Wheaton Academy features (from left) sophomore libero Abram Lee, junior outside hitter Daniel Ciszek, freshman setter/rightside Kellen Saurer, sophomore middle hitter Kolby Saurer, middle hitter Michah Wilding, setter Joel Baarman and sophomore outside hitter Josiah Nichols. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorWheaton Academy coach D.A. Nichols doesn’t like to use the term, “rebuilding.”“We’re restructuring,” said Nichols, who graduated nine seniors from last year’s 23-7 team and started four sophomores and a freshman Tuesday against visi...
Illprepvb.com looks at the 2025 boys H.S. season with teams starting with M-Z
Wheaton North's 6-5 outside hitter Aidan Syswerda is one of the top juniors in Illinios. (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 permission. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorToday, we continue our look at some of boys’ volleyball teams across Illinois starting with the schools beginning with the letters M-Z. Illprepvb.com reached o...
Illprepvb.com looks at the 2025 boys’ H.S. season beginning with teams A-L
Six-foot outside hitter Aris Maurukas is one of the top returning players for Benet Academy and coach Hector Cano this spring. On the home page is Downers Grove North's Aidan Akkawi. (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 permission.By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorToday, we begin our look at some of boys’ volleyball teams across Illinois ...
Presenting the 2025 Michio Chicago VBA /Illprepvb Boys H.S. Preseason Rankings
Libero Rorey Donnelly is among several returnees for defending IHSA champion Marist. (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 permission. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe 2025 boys’ high school volleyball season tips off Monday, March 24, and today we take an early peek at who you can expect to emerge as contenders for conference ...
Ranking the Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb Boys High School Volleyball Teams of All Time
Illinois' first and only boys' national volleyball champion is the 2012 Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers. On the home page, Glenbrook North went undefeated through 25 matches during the COVID-shortened 2021 season to make the honorable mention list. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorToday we are revisiting the 10 All-Time Best Boys High School Volleyball Teams, a list we initially published five years ago.The boys’ first sanctioned state tournament was held in 1992. Richards dominated the landscape that season, not only becoming...
Sports Performance/Illprepvb Present the Top 101 Boys H.S. Players for ’25 Season
Loyola Academy denied Barrington a fourth trip to the IHSA quarterfinals since 2017 in a sectional semifinal last spring, but third-year starter Eli Rodda (pictured), three other retunring starters and some talented newcomers hope to get the Broncos back to Hoffman Estates in 2025. (Phioto by Dave Ruggles). By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe club season behind them until June, Illinois' boys kick off their high school season with the first day of practice March 10, and here are 101 players who we predict will have the most im...