These girls are making a difference through their work ethic and their play

Benet Academy's Ellie Stiernagle is a threat as a setter and an attacker for SPVB 16 Elite. On the homepage is one of Stiernagle's club teammates, St. Charles North's Haley Burgdorf. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorToday, we continue our look at the players who are crushing on the court for their respective clubs:Tori Brents5-10, 8th grade, Setter/rightsideBalance 15 WhiteBrents is a homegrown Balance player who can do it all, said Balance VBC director Patty Langanis. “Tori runs a 6-2 and leads this team, e...

Top Notch notches top St. Louis finish; stars come out in Kansas City, Aurora

Competing in the Open division for the first time at last weekend's President's Day in St. Louis, Springfield-based Top Notch 15U Elite finished in third place. (Photo courtesy of Top Notch VBC) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe Presidents’ Day weekend produced a number of medal-winning team efforts and outstanding individual performances – from VC United 181 Elite’s perfect 10 in the 18 Open division at the Presidents Day Classic in St. Lous to 1st Alliance 17 Gold’s runner-up run at the 2024 Triple Crown NIT in Kansas City.But per...

It was a MOD-earn family kind of weekend at the Brew City Battle in Milwaukee

Adversity South 17 Adidas won three consecutive three-set matches to win the 17 Open division at the Brew City Battle last weekend in Milwaukee. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorMOD ruled last weekend in Milwaukee.MOD Elite Volleyball Club out of Evanston won three age divisions – 18 Open, 18 Classic and 16 Classic – at the boys’ 2024 AAU/JVA Brew City Battle held at the Baird Center (formerly the Wisconsin Center) In Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “Overall, it was a successful weekend with a lot of great volleyball being played,” said ...

We wanted to know why girls play volleyball, so we asked them. Here’s what they said

New WAVE 16 Tornado's Megan Boertlein, opposite twin sister, Sarah (31) and flanking teammates Taryn Bazon (10) and Gabriella Flores (73), said she was drawn to volleyball by watching her two older sisters play. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThere are a number of benefits volleyball provides young girls that can positively impact a young girl’s life – physical-fitness, learning teamwork and how to communicate with others, self-confidence, mental toughness and body image.But if you ask girls why they play volleyball, the reason they ...

Taking a look at more players getting it done as the girls’ club season heats up

1st Alliance 17 Gold's Abby Vander Wal (6) and Gabby Stasys (59) go up to block 1st Alliance 18 Silver's Shay McMillen (26) during Windy City Power League play Sunday in Woodridge. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) https://youtu.be/CsdKVeeKDTc 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’re taking another look at...

Weekend roundup: Illini Elite grabs two seconds; SPVB 16 Elite surprises; VC United rolls

SPVB 16 C-Fed's Greta Malinauskas (86) slips a kill past Illini Elite 16 Black's Isabelle Axelson (1) and Lyla Tate (2) during semifinal action of the 16/15 Open division Monday at the 24 SPVB Presidents Day Challenge hosted by the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThey came from as far away as Rochester, Minnesota; Brighton, Michigan; Waukesha, Wisconsin; and Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, to compete in the 24 SPVB Presidents Day Challenge this weekend in Aurora.“This is o...

Who’s ‘kaboom-ing’ who at the Windy City Power League, GLC Challenge Series?

St. Ignatius setter Audrey Schabes and her Adversity G16 Adidas teammates were looking to move up the ladder during 2024 Windy City Power League 15/16 Open play this weekend at Connect 44 in Lombard. On the home page is Schabes' high school and club teammate Marin Thaxton. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) https://youtu.be/xHgK1Q4jCKU 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.c...

Volleyball community joins UNO as it mourns the tragic loss of Alonnah Nance

Alonnah Nance, a student at Joliet West and member of UNO's 16 Elite volleyball team, died in a mass shooting at her home in Joliet earlier this week. (Photo courtesy of UNO VBC). By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorDeath, any death, is always tragic. But the senseless loss of a young life is particularly difficult to understand.Alonnah Nance, a student at Joliet West and member of the UNO Volleyball Club family, was only 16 years old when her life was cut tragically last weekend in a senseless mass shooting that also claimed the lives of ...

Who was ballin’ out during WCPL 17/18 Club South play in Woodridge?

1st Alliance 18 Red's Caitlin Bochantin (5) tries to go over the block of Belusa United 18 Cyclones' Addison Ciesielski (23) and Ava Valentin (10) during both team's finale in the 17/18 Club South Red division Sunday in Woodridge. (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’re takin...

1st Alliance good as Gold in 18 Open; Club Fusion 18-1 National wins Liberty division

Alex Bardouniotis (19) and her Club Fusion 18-1 National teammates won the 18 Liberty division to earn a bid to the 2024 USAV Girls 18s Junior National Championship in Baltimore, Maryland, April 26-28. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) 1st Aklliance 18 Gold defeated City 18 Gold to win the 18 Open division at the 2024 Windy City National Qualifier Sunday at the Schaumburg Convention Center. https://youtu.be/aN88sAaoFPs 1st Alliance 18 Gold's winning point against Team Pineapple 18 Black. (Video courtesy of Trish Samolinski) By Phil Bro...