Olivia Stewart (8, far left), a 6-1 freshman from Metea Valley, will put her blocking skills to good use when she plays for SPVB 15 Elite this season. On the home page is 6-4 freshman Lynney Tarnow (12) of 1st Alliance 15 Gold by way of Benet Academy. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorToday, we turn our attention to the 15s as we end our look at some of the top club teams in Illinois. 630 Volleyball 15-1A Vincent Van Gogh this is not … yet. “This team is a blank canvas,” said 630 Volleyball girls program d...
Aquin's Arndt joins a list of 'Player of the Year' honorees that dates back to 1982
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...
VanderWal, Timothy oust Montini; Normal West, Joliet West prove West is best
Timothy Christian sophomore Abby VanderWal digs a ball under the watchful eye of freshman Bella Potempa (10) during Thursday's 25-20, 25-21 victory over Montini. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorAn observer pointed out that former Riverside-Brookfield and Wisconsin star Dana Rettke once had 11 consecutive kills in a match.Timothy Christian’s 6-3 sophomore Abby VanderWal came up five short of matching Rettke on Thursday, but her streak was only interrupted because of an ace by freshman outside hitter Bella Potemp...
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 ...
Lincoln-Way West’s Connor Studer has fun during Warriors’ victory at Plainfield North
Plainfield North dropped its season opener Monday to visiting Lincoln-Way West despite 8 kills from Aidan Cupps (14) and 17 assists, 2 kills and a block from setter PJ Vaughn (13). By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorDon’t worry. Be happy.Lincoln-Way West’s Connor Studer said the key to winning volleyball games is having fun. The 5-10 outside hitter had plenty of that Monday at Plainfield North.Studer had 13 kills, including the final two of the match, to lead the Warriors to a 25-21, 25-19 victory over Plainfield North in the sea...
Illprepvb.com peers into the crystal ball to divine the '23 girls high school season
IHSA Class 4A 2022 semifinalists Barrington (near court) and Benet Academy (far court) will field teams that are very capable of returning to CEFCU Arena in 2023. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorBefore the girls' club season begins in earnest, it’s time to peer into the crystal ball and foretell which girls' high school volleyball teams could make a run at the former Redbird Arena in the fall of ‘23.But first, some thoughts to ponder:Will Mother McAuley earn its 17th IHSA championship behind Michigan recruit El...
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...
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...
Saints extend Kull's career with one last trip to Normal; Macs end Joliet West's run
St. Charles East's Kate Goudreau did a little serve receiving in addition to slugging 12 kills to lead the Saints past Loyola Academy at the Hinsdale Central Class 4A Supersectional. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) At Hinsdale CentralJennie Kull has made no secret of the fact that this is the final year of a coaching career that began at Champaign Central in 1986 and includes the last 25 years as head coach at St. Charles East.So, her players weren’t about to let her go out without one final trip to the promised land of Illinois high school volle...
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...