Norris City-Omaha-Enfield (foreground) has enough pieces returning to make another run at Redbird Arena and a Class 1A championship in 2021. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) The IHSA has made its decision and pushed girls' volleyball back to "spring." If we assume (not always a good thing when it comes to the IHSA) that girls will not have to decide between high school and club teams, here is what the 2021 field could look like: Class 4A1. Benet (41-1) – Brad Baker has some holes to fill with the departure of five seniors, but there’s more th...

Lockport coach Nick Mraz will be a busy man come February 2021. He coaches both girls and boys teams at Lockport. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Now that we know that the girls' high school volleyball season has been pushed back to "spring" beginning February 15, here are 10 more teams that could thrive in 2021. Class 4ADowners Grove North (22-17) – Setter Grace Malone and middle hitter Morgan Wendt are significant losses for coach Mark Wasik, but as long as Gwen Wolkow is around, the Trojans will always be in the hunt. The 5-10 outside hit...

The AAU Girls Junior National Volleyball Championships are still scheduled for July 14-22, in Orlando, Florida. But because of the lack of local competitors, the tournament will have no bearing on our rankings. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) It is hard to believe that, for all intents and purposes, the 2020 girls club season ended nearly four months ago. Five Illinois clubs, including 1st Alliance, Top Flight and Sky High, have entered teams in the AAU Girls Junior National Championships in Orlando, Florida, on July 14-22, which has banned ...

Amanda Rice of Lemont and her Adversity G18 Adidas teammates won the Windy City Power League 17&18 Open division championship, going 14-1 overall with its only loss at the hands of Sky High Adidas 18 Black on February 2. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) The Windy City Power League wrapped up Sunday and the chase for bids to the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships is on, beginning with the 2020 Nike Mideast Qualifier at the Indianapolis Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, March 20-22.Here are the final 2020 Michio Chi...

Future 18 Elite and SPVB B16 Elite finished second in their respective divisions at the just-concluded 2020 Dennis Lafata Boys Bid Classic in St. Louis. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) The 2020 Dennis Lafata Boys Bid Classic in St. Louis, Missouri, is in the books. Illinois teams did not win a single Open championship, doing most of their damage in the USA and Club divisions.Local division winners at Lafata included SPVB B18 Lenny (18 USA), Future 17 White (17 USA), 630 Volleyball 16-1 (16 USA) and Ultimate B15 Blue (15 Club).Runners-up in th...

Alexis Mines (70) from Joliet West helped SPVB 16 Elite finished third in the 18/17 Power division at the Presidents' Day Challenge hosted by Sports Performance at the Schaumburg Convention Center last weekend. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) The Presidents’ Day tournaments are in the books with Illinois teams competing from Kansas City to St. Louis to Schaumburg. The Triple Crown NIT Volleyball Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri, proved to be the most difficult hurdle for teams from the Great Lakes Region, with 1st Alliance 16 Silver tu...

There was some movement in this week's girls club rankings with Sky High Adidas 18 Black taking over the top spot among the 18s and Michio Chicago 16 National moving to the top of the 16s field. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) The Windy City Power League seeding is over and the league season is underway. Surprises? There were a few. Meanwhile, with a few exceptions, the schedule is a little light prior to Presidents’ Day tournaments hosted by the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora and Sky High Volleyball Center in Crystal Lake. ...

Grayson Juel (58) and his UNO Boys 18 Elite teammates battled their way to the 18 Open division Gold bracket quarterfinals at last weekend's Winter Volleyball Championship at McCormick Place. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) The 2020 Boys Winter Volleyball Championship at McCormick Place last weekend was a boon for some and a nightmare for others. Despite earning several bids, Illinois teams came away with only two championships in the 15-and-over divisions – SPVB B18 Lenny in 18 USA and SPVB B16 Alpha in 16 USA. Ultimate B14 Gold did win t...

The girls' club season is well underway and it's time to sort of who's who among the best in Illinois for 2020. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) The Windy City Power League is underway and the 2020 girls club season is kicking into high gear.SPVB 18 Elite, Michio Chicago 17 National, SPVB 16 Elite and Lions 15-1 topped the 2019 final club rankings, and all four – despite the obvious personnel changes – are among the top five teams in their age groups heading into the 2020 campaign.So here they are, the initial 2020 Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com ...

Despite dropping its first match of the weekend Saturday at the B16-Palos Point Series #4, SPVB B16 Elite finished atop the series' standings by winning its last five matches. The B16-Palos Point Series #4 concluded Sunday and most teams are looking ahead to this weekend’s Winter Volleyball Championships at McCormick Place, where teams in the 16 and 15 Open divisions will vie for one of nine bids to the 2020 USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships in Reno, Nevada, June 27-July 4. 2019-20 Michio Chicago/Illprepvb.com Boys C...