Bolingbrook libero Ryan Saravia (11) reaches to make a dig in the Raiders' victory over the hosts at Saturday's West Aurora invitational. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Ch-ch-ch-changes. There’s plenty of them in the latest Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Boys H.S. Rankings. Play your way in. Play your way out. Shuffling at the top. Juggling at the bottom. But some things never change. Like the IHSA awarding a team a virtual bye in their sectional assignments. Yes, it’s good to be the king. At...

Richard Barwicki and Lane Tech broke the Public League's 32-year quartertfinal winless drought at the IHSA tournament last spring. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Putting together a preseason poll is part guesswork, part conjecture and part Ouija board.However, looking back at last year’s preseason pool, we did pick the final two teams – Marist and Glenbard West – correctly at Nos. 1-2. The rest of the poll? Eh.We did have IHSA quarterfinalists Lake Park and Wheaton Warrenville South in the top 10, San...

The qualifier season kicks into high gear for many Illinois girls club teams with the Mideast Qualifier next weekend in Indianapolis. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor It’s time to do a little housekeeping and catch up with the girls club season (and did we ever have some catching up to do) before we dive headfirst into the Illinois boys high school season that started Monday.So, without further adieu, here are the latest Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Girls Club Rankings: Michio Chicago VBA/Illpre...

Despite its loss to MOD B18 Blue at last weekend's 2026 Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge, its first loss in four head-to-head meetings with the MOD squad, 630 Volleyball 18-1 retained its No. 1 ranking in the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Boys Clyb Rankings heading into the IHSA boys spring season. (Photos courtesy of @RavenswoodUSA) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorIn the famous words of Gomer Pyle, USMC, “Surprise, surprise, surprise.”Save for a few here and there, boys club teams have broken camp to get ready for the I...

Girls club tournaments heat up again over the Presidents' Day holiday weeekend. (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 girls club season is in full swing and it’s time to take our first swing at ranking the top teams in each age group.Of course, the rankings are based on a small sample...

Sports Performance 18 Elite sophomore Edison Ah-Yo and his teammates are among the teams scheduled to compete at the 2026 AAU/JVA Brew City Battle 14U-18U Open/Premier at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on January 31-February 1. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorWe’ve got some catching up to do.It’s been a few weeks since we last released our Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Boys Club Rankings of the 2025-26 season, but there have been few changes in the interim. The leaders in all four age groups remain the same and none a...

Most Illinois boys volleyball clubs, including Chicago Legends (above) will compete in the Boys Winter Invitational next weekend in Louisville, Kentucky. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNext up? How about a trio to Louisville, Kentucky? The POINT Series 15/16s #3 wrapped up last weekend at the Wintrust Sports Complex, closing the books on the event until next fall, and now the local boys will test the national waters at the Boys Winter Invitational at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, on December 12-14.Unl...

Jane Manecke (9) and Nazareth Academy rode a late-season surge to the IHSA Class 3A finals before falling to No. 1-ranked Normal U-High. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Do you avoid black cats, walking under a ladder or opening an umbrella indoors?Do you knock on wood to avoid bad luck?Do you stay in bed on Friday the 13th? Do you wear the same socks (or underwear) as long as your team continues to win?How superstitious are you? Superstitions exist in volleyball, too. For example, one has to won...

Benet Academy middle hitter Lynney Tarnow (12) and the Redwings took over the No. 1 spot in Class 4A of this week's Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Girl;s H.S. Rankings. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor There’s a new No. 1 in Class 4A after Benet Academy (31-2) defeated Marist and Mother McAuley in a span of five days last week to leapfrog the pair after sitting at No. 3 for most of the regular season.  Otherwise, not much is expected to change between now and the start of the postseason next Tuesday.May...

Lockport visits Lincoln-Way East on Tuesday in a battle of Suthwest Suburban Conference unbeatens. (Phioto by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor From Northbrook to the south side, from the western suburbs to Bloomington, after putting a ton of miles on the old heap over the past eight days, it’s time to give it a rest.My car is pretty beat up, too. Meanwhile, here are this week’s Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Girls H.S. Rankings (with last week’s rankings in parenthesis): Class 4A rankings1. Mother McAu...