VC United 182 Elite defeated 1st Alliance 18 White in the championship match of the 18 American division at the Windy CIty Girls 18s National Qualifier in Schaumburg to earn a bid to the 2023 USAV Girls 18s Junior National Championships in Columbus, Ohio, April 28-30. https://youtu.be/ViX7WUS68nQ By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorVC United 182 Elite was a resolute band of warriors during its journey through the 18 American division of the 2023 Windy City Girls 18s National Qualifier at the Schaumburg Convention Center this weekend,...

Marist sophomore Bella Bullington (far right) had 8 kills in the RedHawks; 25-10, 25-16 victory over Benet Academy Tuesday. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comIt was billed as a matchup for first place in the East Suburban Catholic Conference.Marist turned it into a mismatch.Sophomore Bella Bullington and Kamryn Chaney each had 8 kills as the host RedHawks cruised to a 25-10, 25-16 victory Tuesday over visiting Benet Academy.  Both teams were coming off losses in the title matches of their respective ...

Nobody has won more IHSA championships during the past 10 years than Benet Academy coach Brad Baker, who guided the Redwings to Class 4A titles in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2019. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) (Cover photo courtesy of Papa Bear) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL -- It all comes down to this. Here is a brief look at the 16 teams that will compete for four IHSA championships this weekend at Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal: IHSA Semifinal Pairings, Friday, November 11(in bracket order) ...

Genoa-Kingston's Alayna Pierce (16) and the Cogs are preparing to defend their IHSA Class 2A championship, but they will face stiff competition from teams like IC Catholic Prep, Fairfield and Timothy Christian. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe Illinois girls high school volleyball season is underway this week with the start of practice, and today Illprepvb.com continues its annual series of previews of the teams, players and coaches whose ultimate goal is a trip to Redbird (now CEFCU) Arena on the campus of ...

Marist won IHSA Class 4A championships in 2017 and 2018, and Kamryn Chaney (23) hopes to lead the RedHawks to a third title before moving on to Princeton in the fall of 2023. On the cover, Aquin's Lucy Arndt is Southeast Missouri State-bound next fall, but not before she hopes to lead the Bulldgos to a second consecutive Class 1A semifinal appearance. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor The IHSA tournament kicks off Monday, and it’s the last time hundreds of seniors throughout the state will don their high s...

Benet Academy rolled out a few dfferent lineups Wednesday in the opening round of the Wheaton North Blue & Gold Invitational, but won both of its matches against Kaneland and West Aurora. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorSetters playing outside. Middles playing rightside. So many substitutions you needed a GPS tracker to keep pace.Simply put, to quote one of the greatest movie lines of all time, it was, “Madness.”“We thought we had a lineup, but then we had an injury, so now we've had a few days to try to mix and match a little...

Hersey captured the title of its siix-team round robin turnament Saturday while awaiting word on the future of 6-1 outside hitter Claie Van den herik (8). By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNever bet against Hersey’s Claire van den Herik.Van den Herik, a 6-1 outside hitter, was poised to make a triumphant return to the court this fall after an ACL tear to her left knee during a summer league game prior to last season robbed her of her junior year.“I went up (for a kill), then all of a sudden when I came down, I heard a pop,” van den Her...

Illini Elite 15 Cardinal, which finished second at the JVA World Challenge in mid-April, has its sights set on winning a national championship in Orlando. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorIllini Elite 15 Cardinal coach Kyle Caldwell is not ready for the club season to end.“I’m not ready,” he said. “This group is a lot of fun. They're good kids. They work hard. They’re everything you ask for in a team.”But end it must, either at the 2023 USAV Girls Junior 14s-17s National Championship at McCormick Place, June 28-July 6, or the 2023 AAU ...

Oswego junior Sidney Hamaker (13), shown here at last weekend's West Aurora round-robin, had 12 kills Tuesday to lead the Panrthers past host Waubonsie Valley. (Photo by Dave Ruggles)  By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThere are very few places – if any – on a volleyball court where Oswego’s 6-1 junior Sidney Hamaker doesn’t thrive.As a sophomore last year, Hamaker played middle hitter for her club’s top 18s team, which finished second at the AAU national championships in Orlando. But for the past two years, she’s played outsi...