Setter Maggie Simon (66, far court middle) helped lead SPVB 18 White to the championship of the 18 Club division at last weekend's 2026 UA Bluegrass Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phi BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor The UA Bluegrass Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky, brings together more than 100 teams from the Midwest, Southeast and as far away as California to the Kentucky Expo Center for a weekend of high-level volleyball competition.But no matter who is on the other side of the net, Maggie Simon and...
Michio Chicago 18 BlueSmoke is the ‘Ultimate’ fighter at regional championship
Michio Chicago 18 BlueSmoke completed a perfect weekend Sunday at the 2026 GLR Girls Regional Championships, claiming the tournament's 18 American bid to Reno with a 25-21, 14-25, 15-9 victory over Ultimate G18 Gold. https://youtu.be/aCsfmUBg2VA By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorTaking care of business.There will be no petition necessary from Michio Chicago 18 BlueSmoke to participate in the non-bid Patriot division at the 2026 USA Volleyball Girls 18s National Championship in Reno, Nevada, on April 23-25.After finishing third in t...
Here are four important rules every club, high school volleyball parent should know
Parents are encouraged to cheer loud, but classy, according to former player, club coach and director, and current author and speaker Christina Callahan. By Christy CallahanJVA contributor Being a volleyball parent is a full-time commitment. You are the driver, the snack provider, the emotional support system, and sometimes the referee for your own sideline debates. As a former club director, I have seen it all – the super fans, the stressed stat trackers, the “just here for the snacks” parents, and those quietly reliving their glory ...
Playing like a team, Adversity G16 Adidas claims GLR Girls Regional championship
Adversity G16 Adidas defeated 1st Alliance 16 Silver on Sunday to win the 16 Open division at the 2026 GLR Girls Regional Championships at the Wintrust Sports Complex in Bedford Park. https://youtu.be/Q1c-hIkFlwM By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor You could see it coming. Now it’s just a matter of how far they can take it.You could see it coming after Adversity G16 Adidas finished 13th in the 16 Girls division at the Triple Crown NIT in Kansas City February 14-16, losing to eventual champion A5-16 Gabe (Roswell, Georgia) in a...
Impulse-ively, we name 18 Red as our Ultimate/Illprepvb Players of the Week
Impulse 18 Red, perfect in Windy City Power League play, also won the 2026 Lincoln's Birthday Bash in Hammond, Indiana, on February 14-15. By Phi BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor It never hurts to have a state champion or two on your club roster.But when your club team boasts one state champion shy of a half-dozen, the result is magic.Impulse 18 Red out of Manteno boasts five members of the Cissna Park girls volleyball team that ruled Class 1A this fall, going 40-1 and claiming the school’s first IHSA championship in volleyball.Ciss...
A healthy ‘White’ wins the fight at the Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge
ESVBC 16U Thunder National's Emerson Eeten (23) tries to split the block of a pair of Epic United 16 Elite defenders during 16/15 Open semifinal play at the 2026 Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge Monday at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorRed, White & Blue.Pick your favorite color and you had a Sports Performance 18s teams for which to cheer in the 18/17 Open and 18/17 Club division championships of the 2026 Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge on Monday at the...
Illini Elite’s Barrett twins are the Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Players of the Week
Twins Devan (Left) and Chloe Barrett helped lead Illini Elite 16 Black to a second-place finish in the 16/15 Open division at last weekend’s 2026 Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorChloe is eight minutes older.Devan is one inch taller.Chloe is a libero. Devan is on outside hitter.Together, the Barrett twins from tiny Athens, Illinois, helped lead Illini Elite 16 Black to a second-place finish in the 16/15 Open division at last weekend’s 2026 M...
Shorthanded SPVB B18 Elite beats MOD B18 Blue, wins Presidents Day Challenge
SPVB B18 Elite won the 18/17 Boys division at the 2026 Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge on Sunday at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorInjuries. Illnesses. Absences. SPVB B18 Elite was reduced to a skeleton crew Sunday at the 2026 Mizuno SPVB Presidents Day Challenge at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. The hosts had only eight healthy bodies available to take the court against a Gold bracket field that featured the top seven 18s teams in Illinois.But eight was enough.Led by...
Time is the most dangerous advantage for young SPVB B18 Elite going forward
Sports Performance's young boys 18 Elite team is 35-11 heading into this weekend's President's Day Challenge at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Auirora. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe 18 Open division is the gold standard by which all boys club teams are measured. California teams have dominated the division, both on the USAV side and more recently the AAU side, winning 11 nationals championships since 2010.Illinois club teams during that span?Zero 18 Open national titles.There have been close calls. Last summer, SPVB B18 El...
1st Alliance, SPVB Triple Crown-bound; Michio heads crowded field in St. Louis
Five-foot-10 outside hitter Leah Oehmke (55) of Plainfield South will lead 1st Alliance 18 Gold into the 18 & Under division at the 2026 Triple Crown NIT in Kansas City, Missouri, this weekend. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor550 teams. 7,000 players. 550 college coaches.The 2026 Triple Crown NIT at the Bartle Hall Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri, draws teams from across the United States – from California to the west, the Gulf Coast to the south, the Carolinas to the east and everything in ...