Look back at some of the action from the 2019 Tiger Classic at Wheaton Warrenville South and the Joliet West invite through the photos of Dave Ruggles. https://youtu.be/uFtJJsU6qVM 2019 Tiger Classic, Joliet West highlight video (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Track: Quiet Storm — Metro Vice [Audio Library Release]Music provided by Audio Library PlusWatch: https://youtu.be/M2dbXtJmP2UFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/quiet-storm ...
USA Volleyball cancels Mid-East, Windy City qualifiers due to COVID-19
Teams that were planning to participate in the Mid-East Qualifier March 20-22 in Indianapolis or the W9ndy City Qualifier April 20-22 will have to find other opportunities to qualify for nationals. USA Volleyball has cancelled the events due to health concerns. Here is the link to the USA Volleyball website:https://www.teamusa.org/usa-volleyball/features/usa-volleyball-response-on-coronavirus ...
Torres setting a torrid pace for Oswego East despite Tuesday’s loss at Plainfield North
Oswego East, shown here earlier in the year during the Joliet West invitational, is rebuilding around some young players after last year's senior-fueled run to a regional title game. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Thirteen kills and a block.A great match for most players, but almost pedestrian-like numbers for Oswego East’s 6-foot-2 junior outside hitter Anthony Torres. Oswego East's record-setting junior Anthony Torres. Torres has emerged from the shadows of Cade and Collin Harrison and Jahari Winkfield, three 2018 graduates who led the Wo...
Simpson-Kirr achieves a young girl's dream: coaching college volleyball
Former Downers Grove South star and IHSA champion Jackie Simpson-Kirr is in her fourth year as associate head coach at Clemson. Jackie Simpson-Kirr By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comJackie Simpson-Kirr was only 13 years old when she figured out what she wanted to do with her life. She wanted to coach college volleyball.It was a lofty aspiration for someone who had just been cut from her seventh-grade volleyball team.But the Downers Grove native made it a reality. Simpson-Kirr blossomed into a 6-foot-1 setter at Downers Grove Sout...
Digtown 16 Red taking small steps at its first big tournament of the season
Digtown 16 Red is among the nearly 150 teams competing in the Presidents' Day Challenge hosted by Sports Performance at the Schaumburg Convention Center this weekend. https://youtu.be/YBY46NlzK3Y Volleyball is the No. 1 participation sport in the United States for high school-aged girls, and it continues to enjoy explosive growth, especially on the club level.Case in point? Digtown Volleyball Club in Yorkville.Three-year-old Digtown is the brainchild of Bob Coselman, whose daughter, Sydney, teamed with Sammi LaBolle to lead Sandwich ...
Illprepvb.com announces 2019 Player, Team, Coach of the Year and First Team All-State
Huntley's Taylor Jakubowski, who concluded her stellar four-year varsity career as Illinois' second all-time assist leader, is the 2019 Illprepvb.com Player of the Year. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we are pleased to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls First Team All-State Volleyball Team, our Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and Team of the Year. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the Illprepvb.com all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and in the classroom...
Mission not impossible: Fresh faces, coaching staff attract players to new club
Mission Volleyball Club enjoyed a successful competitive debut at the Wisconsin Juniors Pre-Season Kick-Off at the Lake View RecPlex in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Mission Volleyball Club was initially conceived as a rebranding of Club Fusion's branch operation in Marengo before becoming its own entity. If you open it, will they come?That’s the question for anyone thinking of starting a new volleyball club.For Mission Volleyball Club, the answer has been a resounding, “yes.”Over 200 athletes ...
Montini's Billy Cyze doesn't let anything, including a rare birth defect, slow him down
Montini's Billy Cyze, flanked by his brothers Daniel (left) and Thomas (right), has learned to adapt to a rare birth defect, and in addition to being a valued member of the school's volleyball team, is a member of the school's robotics team and a licensed UAS pilot. Billy Cyze is a leader on Montini's robotics team, and holds an Unmanned Arial System (UAS) license that allows him to fly drones up to 55 pounds. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comMontini senior Billy Cyze can best be described as a problem-solver.The 6-foot-3 outside ...
Jepsen, Marist ends Lincoln-Way East’s reign; Brown, New Trier deny Loyola
Lincoln-Way East's Wil McPhilllips finds it tough sledding against the Marist block during Tuesday's sectional championship match at Marist. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Marist junior outside hitter Jake Bonnett had 7 kills during Marist's win Tuesday. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Playing his final match on his home court, Marty Jepsen had an opportunity to do something he had never done and the Marist boys’ volleyball team hadn't done in nine years.Get to state.The 6-foot-1 outside hitter made sure he didn’t miss his final opp...
Throw out records, reputations when St. Teresa, Maroa-Forsyth collide on court
Princeton recruit Valerie Nutakor (25) of St. Teresa blocks a shot by Maroa-Forsyth's Carlye King during St. Teresa's 33-31, 25-17 victory Monday in Decatur. Also at the net for the Bulldogs was senior middle blocker Addison Newbon (35). (photo by Randy Sharer). By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comDECATUR – For a rivalry match, Decatur St. Teresa’s status as the reigning IHSA Class 2A champion didn’t count for much against Maroa-Forsyth in a nonconference battle Monday.That was especially true during the first set as the visiting Tr...