Glenbard West's 6-6 middle hitter Xzavion Willett hoists the sectional championship trophy following the Hilltoppers' straight-set win Tuesday over Downers Grove North. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorTalk about a two-class boys volleyball system surfaced again over the weekend.While we’d much rather the IHSA focus their collective energy on securing a college venue for the boys’ finals or seeding the tournament without regard to geography (see football), the move to a two-class playoff system seems to be gain...

Loyola Academy's Jack Lopez led the Ramblers to their first IHSA quarterfinal appearance in 30 years this season. (Photos 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 EditorToday, we are pleased to announce the 2024 Sports Performance VBC/Illprepvb.com Boys All-State Volleyball Team, our sixth annu...

St. Laurence's Tim Hyland and the Vikings defeated host Stagg on Tuesday and will meet Brother Rice for the regional championship at 4:45 p.m. Thursday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorWhat drives the Vikings’ Busse?Energy.“It’s always the energy,” said St. Laurence’s rightside hitter Alex Antikiewicz. “Sometimes we get into our heads a little bit, but we always bring it back. We find a way to keep it going. No matter what we do, it’s high energy. High energy equals victory.”Antikiewicz provided the energy Tue...

Lockport's Evan Dziadkowiec (far left), who graduated in the top 10 percent of his class while playing basketball and volleyball, finished among the top 15 assist leaders of all time in Illinois despite a COVID-shortened 2021 season and missing two games last year due to injury. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorBasketball was Evan Dziadkowiec’s first love growing up in Lockport, but a little prodding from mom when he was in sixth grade steered him to a second sport.“I’ve been playing basketball since a ve...

SPVB 17 Elite finished second in the 17 Open division at the AAU Girls National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Florida, last Friday, falling in the finals to Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal, 23-25, 25-22, 15-12. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorOrlando, Florida – Sports Performance Volleyball Club has won 108 national championships during its storied history.SPVB 17 Elite came within a few points of making it 109.The Aurora crew fought its way to the championship match of the 17 Open division Friday at the 2024 AAU Girls Junior N...

Michio Chicago 15 National (above) will compete in the 15 USA division in Las Vegas while Sky High Adidas 17 Elite (on the home page) is headed to Mandalay Bay to compete in the 17 National division. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThere have been a number of changes to the list of local qualifiers headed to the 2024 USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship 14-17s at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, from July 3-11.Teams have moved up a division or two. New faces have joined the list. And th...

In 2012, Wheaton Warrenville South, led by future Olympian Thomas Jaeschke, comleted a perfect 42-0 season with a 25-21, 25-13 victory over Glenbrook North in the IHSA tournament championship game. 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 EditorBoys’ volleyball is growing throughout the country. More state hi...

Jack Anderson, who led Glenbard West to an IHSA championship in 2023, is set to lead the Hilltoppers back to Hoffman Estates when the tournament opens Tuesday. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorYou know all that talk about another Glenbard West three-peat?The Hilltoppers are having none of that kind of chatter. They are focused on the present, not the past.“Everyone says there's a lot of pressure on us this year, but we really don't think about it like that,” said Glenbard West 6-3 setter Jack Anderson. “We’re just excited to go out a...

630 Volleyball 17-3, which defeated the No. 1 seed in the 17 Elite division before falling to eventual national champion UNO Boys 17 Elite in the semifinals, finished third in Orlando. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorOrlando, Florida – What do you do when you’re (re)branded?You go out and win yourself a national championship, of course.Windy City Premier B17 fought off two match points in the second set to defeat Warren Sixpack 17 White (Aberdeen, New Jersey), 22-25, 27-25, 15-10, and win the 17 Club division on the final day ...

Eddie Muller (2) had 9 kills and 6 digs and St. Francis overcame a 12-4 deficit in the first set to defeat visiting Brother Rice on Thursday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvbv.com EditorThing 1 and Thing 2 had a pretty good night Thursday. So did the rest of the Spartans.“Thing 2,” a.k.a. Eddie Muller, had 9 kills and 6 digs, and “Thing 1,” a.k.a. Nick Madden, added 3 kills, an assist and 6 digs as St. Francis rallied from a 12-4 deficit in Game 1 to defeat Brother Rice, 28-26, 25-22, Tuesday in Wheaton.So how does som...