Six-foot-5 Alyssa Koerkenmeier(24) and the Mater Dei Knights have a new coach, but the same goal -- win an IHSA Class 2A championship. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe 2024 girls high school volleyball season gets underway today with the start of practice/tryouts, and Illprepvb.com begins its annual series of previews of the teams, players and coaches whose ultimate goal is a trip to Redbird (now CEFCU) Arena on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal.So, here is (almost) everything you need to ...

1st Alliance 17 Gold advanced to the semifinals of the 17 Open division at the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship in Las Vegas, but lost for the second consecutive year to Arizona Storm 17 Thunder. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorLas Vegas, Nevada – It might have been 110 degrees in the shade in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, but inside the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, there was a Storm brewing across the net from 1st Alliance 17 Gold.For the second consecutive year. Nebraska-recruit Teraya Sigler and Arizon...

Bolingbrook and coach Molly DeSerf came within inches of dethroning two-time defending IHSA champion Glenbard West, falling 25-27, 25-18, 31-29, in a sectional semifinal Saturday at Bolingbrook. (File photo by Dave Ruggles). By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comGlenbard West hasn’t reached the top of the boys’ volleyball food chain without having some character checks. The two-time defending IHSA champions faced the ultimate test Saturday. The Hilltoppers fought off a pair of match points and upended upstart Bolingbrook, 25-27, 25-18, 31-...

Montini was the most dominant team in Illinois regardless of class in 2021, crushing all comers on its way to a 40-1 record and IHSA Class 2A championship. Montini went 14-1 against Cklass 4A competition and suffered its only loss to Class 4A Glenbard West in August of that year. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThere have been many great teams throughout the history of IHSA girls’ high school volleyball – undefeated champions, once-beaten champions, and some teams that did not win an IHSA championship d...

Graduation took a toll on Lincoln's 2023 Class 3A runner-up, but top attacker Payton Sasse (9) is among those who return from a year ago. On the homepage is Willowbrook's Hannah Kenny, who will be headed to Louisville next fall to play libero. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorContinuing with our series presenting the top girls high school players throughout Illinois, today we present the best of the Class of 2025.The list includes Marist’s 6-2 outside hitter and Northwestern recruit Bella Bullington, who...

Benet Academy libero Aniya Warren (front row, third from left) helped the U.S. Girls U19 National Team win the 2024 NORCECA Continental Championship in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on July 19. (On the home page is St. Francis' Addy Horner (22) (Cover photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorAugust 12.Circle it on your calendar.The first day of practice for girls volleyball teams across Illinois.So today, we begin our look at the best of the best players in Illinois with the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Top 150 Girls...

Carmi-White County's 5-6 outside hitter Caroline Simmons (7) had more than 500 kills for the Bulldogs in 2023. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorContinuing with our series presenting the top girls high school players throughout Illinois, today we present the best of the Class of 2026.The list includes Carmi-White County’s 5-6 outside hitter Caroline Simmons, who had a staggering 514 kills last season for the Class 2A fourth-place Lady Bulldogs, and Rockford Christian’s Maddie Anspaugh, whose 386 kills led ...

Geneva surprised Wheaton Warrenville South Thursday to win ithe boys volleyball program's first-ever regional championship. (File photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThere's no place like home.The Bolingbrook boys' volleyball team is going there. Knowing a victory would send them back to their home floor for the sectional, the Raiders rallied down the stretch and emerged with the first regional championship in the history of the boys' volleyball program.The Raiders toppled the hosts, 17-25, 25-19, 25-17, in ...