Lincoln-Way East team members pose with the championship plaque following the victory over Sandburg that gave them sole possession of the Southwest Suburban Conference Blue division title. Lincoln-Way East sophomores Jada James (left) and Ava Nepkin. Lincoln-Way East’s seniors will go out as Southwest Suburban Conference champions – the school’s first league title since 2017 and just the second since 2006.But they owe a huge debt of gratitude to 6-2 sophomore outside hitter Ava Nepkin, who almost single-handedly gift-wrapped the victory...
Marching to her own beat, Minooka's Jada Hampton kills it on bass drum, too
Middle blocker Jada Hampton (10, on right, with Desiree Anderson) was a big part of the 2019 Minooka team that went 32-8 and reached the supersectional before falling to eventual Class 4A state champion Benet. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comJada Hampton marches to the beat of a different drummer.Her own.Hampton is a standout middle hitter for the Minooka volleyball team. But the 6-foot-1 inch senior also does something else. She plays the bass drum in the Indian's marching band. "I've got many big respo...
Merk stands tall for a not-so-tall Loyola crew in a crossover win at Montini
Montini continues to lead the Chicago Catholic League White Division despite the loss to Loyola Tuesday in Lombard. Loyola’s Ryan Merk has been waiting a long time for this opportunity.“I’ve been telling (Loyola head coach Lionel Ebeling) since freshman year that I wanted to hit,” said Merk, who has earned a reputation as one of the top liberos, if not the top libero, in the state. “He finally gave me the chance, and I love it.“It’s fun to hit,” he added. “I’ve been waiting four years for this. We’re doing really well right now, so …”Merk...
Here are the first 1st Alliance VBC/Illprepvb.com Girls 18 Club Rankings
Michio Chicago 18 National won the Girls 18 USA division at last weekend's Winter Volleyball Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana. Indianapolis is in the books. And after traveling to compete in nearby states like Wisconsin, Iowa and Indiana, where COVID-19 restrictions were not as severe, Illinois clubs now have the go-ahead to begin scheduling competition in-state.Meanwhile, the qualifier season continues this weekend with the Northern Lights Qualifier Friday through Sunday at the CHI-Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The qualifier o...
Presenting the first Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com girls H.S. regular-season rankings
Wheaton Warrenville South and sophomore Rebecca Bellows (17) hope to get another shot at top-seeded Loyola at this week's Wheaton Classic. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Breese Mater Dei, Illprepvb.com’s No. 1 team in Class 2A, had its own way last weekend at the Crossroads Classic at Effingham. This weekend, it’s the big schools' turn.The annual Wheaton Classic begins Wednesday with pool play at Wheaton Warrenville South and Wheaton North. And if all goes well, the championship match should wrap up sometime Saturday before midnight.Loyola, un...
Middle, outside or back row, DGN's Wolkow excels everywhere she goes
As a freshman, Downers Grove North's Gwen Wolkow (back row, fourth from right) was a starting middle hitter on the team that finished second in the state in Class 4A. Downers Grove North's Gwen Wolkow Gwen Wolkow loves to fish. She doesn’t like fish. But she loves fishing.Wolkow also loves volleyball. Since her freshman year, when she was a starting middle hitter on the Downers Grove North team that finished second in the state in Class 4A, she has developed into one of the top outside hitters and all-around players in Illinois.“She's th...
Presenting the Michio Chicago VBA Illprepvb.com 2021 Girls All-State Team
Willowbrook is the 2021 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Team of the Year after starting the season with 30 consecutive wins, handing eventual Class 4A champion Metea Valley one of its two losses and reaching the sectional finals at Class 4A runner-up Mother McAuley. Today, we are pleased to announce the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com 2021 Girls All-State Volleyball 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 clas...
Illprepvb.com ranks the 10 All-Time Best Illinois Boys High School Volleyball Teams, Nos. 1-5
Wheaton Warrenville South's 2012 unbeaten IHSA championship team, which went 42-0 and dropped only two sets all season, was named the ESPN National Champion The COVID-19 pandemic denied high school volleyball fans a 2020 boys’ season, but we can still celebrate some of the great teams of the past by naming the 10 All-Time Best Boys High School Volleyball Teams.The boys' first sanctioned state tournament was held in 1992. Richards dominated the landscape that season, not only becoming the first state champion in IHSA history, but also th...
Illprepvb.com presents the 100 All-Time Best Illinois Girls Volleyball Players, Nos. 21-30
Benet libero Hattie Monson will go down as one of the best defenders in Illinois high school history and will take her considerable skills to Notre Dame in the fall. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Today, we continue our countdown of the 100 All-Times Best Illinois Girls Volleyball Players with Nos. 21-30. 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 compete.The growt...
Bay to Bay 'blocks' 630 Volleyball 17-1's championship bid at McCormick Place
630 Volleyball 17-1 middle hitter Mason Kolar (24) of Downers Grove South and his teammates reached the championship match of the Boys 17 Open division at the Winter Volleyball Championship at McCormick Place before falling to Bay to Bay 17-1. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor630 Volleyball 17-1 ran into a brick wall Monday.630 had earned the top seed in the Boys 17 Open division at the Winter Volleyball Championship at McCormick Place on the strength of its 25-6 overall record, including a 10-2 mark at THE Poin...