Barrington sophomore Jenna Meitzler (11) collects one of her 3 kills against Edwardsville in the Class 4A third-place match. (Photo by Dave Ruggles)  Class 4ABy Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – No. 17 will have to wait another year.Metea Valley, which had never even won a regional before this season, shocked the Mother McAuley, 15-25, 25-8, 25-17, at Redbird Arena on Saturday to deny the Mighty Macs a 17th IHSA championship and claim the first state volleyball trophy in the Aurora school’s history.“Oh my God, I can’t even describe...

SPVB 18 Elite outside hitter Ella Wrobel (Plainfield North) has her sights set on returning the Aurora club to the AAU championship stage after a three-year absence. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorIs it coincidence that the last names of SPVB 18 Elite’s top three outside hitters all start with the letter “W?”“We purposely did that,” joked SPVB 18 Elite coach Troy Gilb. “We wanted to make life easy for me … coaching two teams.”Gilb, who also coaches the club’s top 18s boys’ team, expects 6-4 outside hitter and ...

Boys volleyball clubs nationwide are opting to compete in the AAU junior national tournament this summer, a departure from their long-standing participation in the USAV-sponsored event. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorDrew Rogers, you just graduated from Benet Academy.What are you going to do next?“I’m going to Disney World!”Just kidding. Rogers won't graduate from Benet for a few more months, and he didn't really say that ... yet. But the 630 Volleyball 18-1 outside hitter did express his excitement over the ...

Nazareth's Katie Hurta (9) joins a long and distinguished list of players who earned Player of the Year honors since the award was first presented in 1982. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Did you know that girls were not permitted to participate in interscholastic volleyball contests until 1973? Then during the 1974-75 school year, the IHSA sponsored its first volleyball tournament at Lantz Gymnasium on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. New Trier East won that affair, defeating Rich East 15-10, 6...

Barrington's 6-2 sophomore Berkely Ploder (10) tries to beat the block of Metea Valley's Jessica Williams (4) during the first set of Friday's second Class 4A semifinal. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comNORMAL – They're back.Sophomore Ellie White and senior Peyton Brokemond made sure Mother McAuley returned to a familiar place in the state title match as White whammed 23 kills and Brokemond bashed 18 to lead the Might Macs past Edwardsville, 27-29, 25-21, 25-16, in the opening IHSA Class 4A semifinal Friday at ...

Normal West libero Sydnie Hernandez (9) stretches to reach a ball during the Wildcats' victory over Joliet Catholic in the Class 3A third-place game. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Class 3ABy Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – Defense wins championships.And did Nazareth ever defend.The Roadrunners overcame a 12-6 deficit in the third set to defeat No. 1-ranked Belvidere North, 25-18, 20-25, 25-21, in the Class 3A championship match Saturday at Redbird Arena.Defense was the difference.The IHSA does not keep records for tournament digs, but ...

Willowbrook is the 2021 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Team of the Year after starting the season with 30 consecutive wins, handing eventual Class 4A champion Metea Valley one of its two losses and reaching the sectional finals at Class 4A runner-up Mother McAuley. Today, we are pleased to announce the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com 2021 Girls All-State Volleyball Team. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and in the clas...

630 Volleyball 17-1 middle hitter Mason Kolar (24) of Downers Grove South and his teammates reached the championship match of the Boys 17 Open division at the Winter Volleyball Championship at McCormick Place before falling to Bay to Bay 17-1. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor630 Volleyball 17-1 ran into a brick wall Monday.630 had earned the top seed in the Boys 17 Open division at the Winter Volleyball Championship at McCormick Place on the strength of its 25-6 overall record, including a 10-2 mark at THE Poin...

Nazareth's Lauren Salata flicks a kill down the line in Friday's Class 3A semifinal victory over Joliet Catholic. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comNORMAL – When a volleyball team such as Belvidere North has more weapons, it behooves setters like Jayden Flynn to use them.The senior did just that, notching 24 assists as four of her hitters had 6 or more kills in a 25-18, 25-17 victory over Normal West in a Class 3A state tournament semifinal at Redbird Arena on Friday.Ranked No. 1 in 3A by Illprepvb.com, Belvide...