Top Notch 15 Elite, based in Springfield, finished fifth in the LIberty division at the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorGame over.The USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship 14-17s at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, are in the books.The final chapter was written Thursday with the conclusion of play in the various 15...

Windy City Premier B17 was one of three Illinois teams to win a national championship at the 2024 AAU Boys Junior National Championships in Ortland, Florida. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor2009.Fourteen years. Fourteen national tournaments (the 2020 national championships were cancelled due to COVID).2009.That was the last time an Illinois team failed to reach the 18 Open championship quarterfinals of either a USAV or AAU boys national tournament. There was even a run of five years between 2012-2016 when two Illinois teams adv...

MOD Elite B18 Blue went 6-0 to win the 18 Open division at the 2024 AAU/JVA Windy City Round-Up last weekend at McCormick Place. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorMOD is ready to rumble.MOD Elite B18 Blue wrapped up the regular boys’ club season Sunday by sweeping five of its six opponents to win the 18 Open division at the 2024 AAU/JVA Windy City Round-Up last weekend at McCormick Place.MOD dropped only one set during the two-day affair, beating SPVB B18 Lenny, 25-23, 19-25, 15-10, in a Gold bracket semifinal Sunday.“The boys ha...

G Normal West's Olivia Ziemer (36) and Illini Elite 16 Cardinal will be competing in the 51st AAU Girls Junior National Championships beginning next week in Orlando. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorBefore we look ahead, let’s look back briefly and recognize three teams for their efforts at last weekend’s 2024 Navy Pier ASICS National Volleyball Championships.Winning the Girls 18 division was club director/head coach Nicole Diamond’s Belusa United 18 Cyclones, who went 10-0 and defeated Wisconsin Elite...

Marist defeated two-time defending champion Glenbard West and West Suburban Silver powerhouse York to win its first IHSA championship since 2019. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorFour years in a row and counting … After the IHSA tournament last year, we argued that the IHSA boys’ tournament should be seeded so that the two best teams could potentially meet in the championship game. Clearly, that is not the IHSA’s intention.Two years ago, the two best teams in Illinois -- Barrington and Glenbard West – met in a sectional final. L...

Matthew Muehlnickel (10) and his Lincoln-Way East teammates would face rival Lincoln-Way West in a sectional semifinal should both teams advance in the Collinsville sectional. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Only one more week remains in the regular season before we get to that one-and-done portion of the program. Looking ahead to the IHSA tournament, we know Marist should have next to no difficulty advancing to the semifinals at Hoffman Estates. Their possible (probable? likely? inevitable?...

Aris Maurukas (10) and the No. 18 Benet Academy Redwings went 4-0 at last weekend's tournament at Metea Valley. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorWhat’s going on?No sooner had the ink dried on last week’s rankings than five teams in the top 20 went down in flames. When the dust settled, only a handful escaped unscathed.That’s been the nature of the beast this season, however.Teams are trending upward. Teams are trending downward. Every team has flaws, blemishes, minor imperfections. No team is unbeatable. ...

Loyola (far court) will look to avenge its only loss of the season Thursday when the Ramblers visit St. Francis. (File photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorProm.Every player’s dream. Every coach’s nightmare. Every pundit’s quandary.I remember prom (which was shortly before Nixon’s re-election and long before the days of boys’ volleyball). Spending hours waxing dad's Grecian green '68 Bel Air. A foot race between two classmates – each with a broken leg, one right and the other left – across the underlit dance ...

Eddie Muller (2) and St. Francis finished third in perhaps the deepest field of any tournament in Illinois this season last weekend at Downers Grove South. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor There was a major shakeup in the rankings after last weekend. Breaking into the rankings proved none too fortuitous for several teams, who had no sooner joined the top 20 than they were bounced out, while disaster struck other rankings mainstays via injury and surprising losses. Even the top five were not i...

Junior middle hitter Ben Boyce (10) and Wheaton North finished fifth at last weekend's 20th Annual Tiger Classic. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe eyes of the boys’ volleyball world will be on Brother Rice this weekend (OK, not all, but quite a few), where Glenbard West and Marist could be headed to a showdown for early (or is it midway?) bragging rights at the annual Smack Attack.  Elsewhere this weekend, Downers Grove South will also play host a strong field for the annual Rick Griesheim Invitationa...