Tiny Scales Mound (enrollment: 66) hopes to tip the scales in its favor this fall behind (right to left) Lydia Connor, Ellaina Kostenbader, Campbell Hereau, Quinn Driscoll, Grace Behlke, Lila Anderson, Halle Wiegel, Jadyn Busch, Lialah Cramer and Lydia Behlke By Phil BrozynskiIllprpvb.com EditorSt. Francis, DePaul College Prep and St. Laurence? You’re movin’ on up. You, too, Breese Mater Dei and IC Catholic Prep. Did you enjoy your time in “success-factor” purgatory, Joliet Catholic and Nazareth Academy? How about Normal West? ...

Aubrey Fair (5) and Bloomington Central Catholic don't have to worry about another run-in with Breese Mater Dei in the Class 2A championship this season. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprpvb.com EditorSt. Francis, DePaul College Prep and St. Laurence? You’re movin’ on up. You, too, Breese Mater Dei and IC Catholic Prep. Did you enjoy your time in “success-factor” purgatory, Joliet Catholic and Nazareth Academy? How about Normal West? Well, no more Mother McAuley and Marist for you. And Rochester? You got to be l...

Purdue University recruit Lily Bosworth (6) returns as Mahomet-Seymour seeks to repeat as Class 3A champion this fall. )Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprpvb.com EditorSt. Francis, DePaul College Prep and St. Laurence? You’re movin’ on up. You, too, Breese Mater Dei and IC Catholic Prep. Did you enjoy your time in “success-factor” purgatory, Joliet Catholic and Nazareth Academy? How about Normal West? Well, no more Mother McAuley and Marist for you. And Rochester? You got to be lovin’ you some 2. When the IHSA...

Marist storms the court after defeating Benet Academy to win the 2024 Class 4A championship. Will we be seeing this sight again in 2025? (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprpvb.com EditorSt. Francis, DePaul College Prep and St. Laurence? You’re movin’ on up. You, too, Breese Mater Dei and IC Catholic Prep. Did you enjoy your time in “success-factor” purgatory, Joliet Catholic and Nazareth Academy? How about Normal West? Well, no more Mother McAuley and Marist for you. And Rochester? You got to be lovin’ you some 2....

Wheaton Warrenville South's sophomore setter/rightside hitter Allie Coyne led the Tigers with 349 assists last fall. (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 Editor Today, we take our final look at some of the top high school players in Illinois with 90 who are among the best in the Class of 20...

Mia Lamberti helped (Bartonville) Limestone reach the IHSA Class 3A championship game opposite Mahomet-Seymour in 2024, (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 EditorLast time out, we looked at 200 girls among the best in the graduating Class of 2026.Today, we present 100 players among the be...

St. Ignatius' Marin Thaxton (6), who helped lead the Wolfpack to the IHSA Class 3A semifinals two years ago but was sidelined most of last season by injury, was expected to be medically cleared to resume play last week. (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 EditorLast week, we looked at 200 gir...

Stan Bergman, flanked by sons Alec and Aden and wife, Amy, has taken three different schools to Redbird Arena, winning IHSA championships with two of them. (Photo courtesy of the Champaign News-Gazette) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorSeven years ago, Illprepvb.com was approached to collaborate on the creation of an Illinois High School Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame.Unfortunately, at the time, nothing ever came of that phone call. But we felt that the creation of a coaches’ Hall of Fame was long overdue. In July 2020, with inp...

Bella Bullington had 16 kills to lead Marist to its first IHSA Class 4A championship since going back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Editor’s note: Before we begin to preview the 2025 season, we thought we’d take a little stroll down memory lane to the final day of the 2024 season.By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – Someone along press row asked, “How do you explain it?”Sheer toughness, that’s how.“That’s an upset for the ages right there,” said Marist coach Jordan Vidovic. “No question about it. All toughn...

DePaul College Prep's Kalia Kroth will lead last year's IHSA Class 3A semifinalist against St. Ignatius under the lights at DePaul's football stadium on Saturday, September 6. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) DePaul College Prep is hosting the city’s first-ever outdoor volleyball match under the lights at the school's football stadium on Saturday, September 6, when the Rams host St. Ignatius. DePaul College Prep, led by 5-9 junior Kalia Kroth, is coming off a fourth-place finish at last year’s IHSA Class 3A tournament. St. Ignatius, ...