Bella Bullington had 16 kills to lead Marist to its first IHSA Class 4A championship since going back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Editor’s note: Before we begin to preview the 2025 season, we thought we’d take a little stroll down memory lane to the final day of the 2024 season.By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – Someone along press row asked, “How do you explain it?”Sheer toughness, that’s how.“That’s an upset for the ages right there,” said Marist coach Jordan Vidovic. “No question about it. All toughn...
These 100 high school players in the Class of ’27 do not take a backseat to anyone
Mia Lamberti helped (Bartonville) Limestone reach the IHSA Class 3A championship game opposite Mahomet-Seymour in 2024, (Photo 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 EditorLast time out, we looked at 200 girls among the best in the graduating Class of 2026.Today, we present 100 players among the be...
DePaul College Prep, St. Ignatius meet under the lights on Saturday, September 6
DePaul College Prep's Kalia Kroth will lead last year's IHSA Class 3A semifinalist against St. Ignatius under the lights at DePaul's football stadium on Saturday, September 6. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) DePaul College Prep is hosting the city’s first-ever outdoor volleyball match under the lights at the school's football stadium on Saturday, September 6, when the Rams host St. Ignatius. DePaul College Prep, led by 5-9 junior Kalia Kroth, is coming off a fourth-place finish at last year’s IHSA Class 3A tournament. St. Ignatius, ...
Presenting 200 of the best H.S. players who take their final curtain calls this fall
St. Ignatius' Marin Thaxton (6), who helped lead the Wolfpack to the IHSA Class 3A semifinals two years ago but was sidelined most of last season by injury, was expected to be medically cleared to resume play last week. (Photo 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 EditorLast week, we looked at 200 gir...
Bergman, Leavitt top Sports Performance VBC/Illprepvb.com ’25 Hall of Fame Class
Stan Bergman, flanked by sons Alec and Aden and wife, Amy, has taken three different schools to Redbird Arena, winning IHSA championships with two of them. (Photo courtesy of the Champaign News-Gazette) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorSeven years ago, Illprepvb.com was approached to collaborate on the creation of an Illinois High School Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame.Unfortunately, at the time, nothing ever came of that phone call. But we felt that the creation of a coaches’ Hall of Fame was long overdue. In July 2020, with inp...
Changes are coming to Lincoln-Way East boys invite, including expansion to 32 teams
Lane Tech and Marist will be among the teams competing in the 2026 Lincoln-Way East Boys Invitational on May 1-2. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Lincoln-Way East will be joining with First Point Volleyball, an arm of the USA Volleyball Foundation, to host the 2026 Lincoln-Way East Invitational next spring with some additional modifications. The Invitational will be expanding to 32 teams, with a focus on having at least one team from each Midwest state that sanctions boys' volleyball. Below is a breakdown of the entire tournament in...
Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb present 200 girls high school players to watch in 2025
Eden Eyassu (8) is one of the reasons Joliet West figures to be among the top Class 4A teams in Illinois this fall. On the homepage is Mahomet-Seymour's Lily Bosworth, a 6-4 middle hitter and Michigan State recruit. (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 EditorFirst of all, congratulations to ...
Kudos to (SPVB B18) Bravo; Sky High 16 Elite, 1st Alliance 16 Onyx mine Gold
SPVB B18 Bravo went 12-0 to win the 18 Select division national championship at the AAU Boys National Volleyball Championships on Thursday. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Orlando, Florida – Five gold bracket appearances. Three medals. One national championship.It was a good day at the office for Sports Performance on the final day of Wave 1 at the AAU Boys National Volleyball Championships on Thursday.“We are upfront with all players on tryouts,” said SPVB boys program director and recruiting coordinator Stephen Hewitt. “If you pl...
Adversity G15 Adidas, 1st Alliance 16 Ruby win national titles; SPVB 15 C-Fed is third
SPVB 15 C-Fed took an unusual path to a third-place finish at the 2025 AAU Girls Junior National Colleyball Championships in Orlando, Florida. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorOrlando, Florida – See if you can follow the math.Twelve teams from Illinois competed in the quarterfinal feed-in matches of their respective divisions Saturday at the 2025 AAU Girls Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.Six lost, and six won.Seven local teams competed in the quarterfinal round of thei...
Marshall lays down the law; 1st Alliance 17 White, Stateline Pride also win at AAUs
Sports Performance 17 Elite finished third in the 18 Open division at the AAU Girls Volleyball National Championships in Orlando, Florida, losing to eventual champion WPVC 18 Armour Black 26-24, 25-23. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorOrlando, Florida – Make that 111.Gritty SPVB 17 Marshall defeated River City Jrs. 17 Navy (LaVista, Nebraska), 22-25, 25-19, 15-10, to win the 17 Club division Tuesday at the AAU Girls National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center.The national championship was the 111th for the ...