Former Downers Grove South setter Addy Karmik (11) struggled with anxiety, depression and Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the death of club teammate Beth Dunlap. Former Downers Grove South setter Addy Karmik survived a suicide attempt and now advocates for mental health awareness. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comAddy Karmik suffered in silence for too long.Now she is determined to ensure others don’t do the same.Karmik, the former Downers Grove South setter who is an incoming freshman at the University of Wiscons...
Short-handed Sterling handles Geneseo, Quincy in Saturday two-for-one
Because of its vast geographic expanse, the eight-team Western Big Six conference has taken to playing two conference matches in one day, prompting Quincy to make the 324-mile round trip to Geneseo on Saturday to play Sterling and the host Maple Leafs. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comWith a pair of starters out and two early losses, which already doubled its loss total from last season, Illprepvb.com Class 3A top-ranked Sterling looked like it might be ripe for the picking heading into Saturday's Western Big 6 Conference triangular ...
Wollard's 22 kills help IVC withstand late surge by Bloomington Central Catholic
Bloomington Central Catholic High School sophomore Isabelle Niepagen (7) hammered 13 kills in Tuesday's 25-18, 22-25, 30-28 loss to visiting Chillicothe Illinois Valley Central. (Photo by Randy Sharer) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comBLOOMINGTON – It’s a rare volleyball match when both teams go home happy, but that’s what happened after a raucous Illini Prairie Conference battle on Tuesday.Visiting Chillicothe Illinois Valley Central got the win, but Bloomington Central Catholic didn’t feel or look like losers after escaping a 17...
Where are 200+ girls from Illinois high schools and clubs playing D-I volleyball?
Former Nazareth star Ella Sandt took her considerable talents to St. Mary's College of California, a private Catholic college in Moraga, California. The Gaels compete in the West Coast Conference. (Sandt photo by Dave Ruggles. Ally VanEekeren cover photo by Mark Kuhlmann) There are 334 schools that play Division I Women's Volleyball in the United States, including 13 in Illinois. Based on information provided by club directors, Illprepvb.com has identified approximately 235 girls who either played high school or club volleyball in ...
Ultimate B16 Gold, vying to be top dog at Palos Courts, sees unbeaten streak end
Ultimate B16 Gold finished third Saturday at the Palos-B16 Point Series #3. https://youtu.be/6uDvC1_hKmo It had to happen sometime.Ultimate B16 Gold entered Saturday’s Palos-B16 Point Series #3 on the heels of 17 consecutive wins to start the season. After extending its win streak to 18 with a 25-15, 25-20 victory over SPVB B16 Charlie, Ultimate ran afoul of MVC 16-Jake, 14-25, 25-19, 15-7.Ultimate rebounded to beat Adversity 16 Adidas, 25-19, 25-13, in its finale Saturday, and will look to start another long win streak, and avenge it...
Batavia earns USMC/AVCA academic award for the 23rd consecutive year
The 2019 Batavia varsity volleyball team has been awarded the United States Marines Corps (USMC)/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2019-20 academic year. The 2019 Batavia varsity volleyball team has been awarded the United States Marines Corps (USMC)/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2019-20 academic year. The team earned an impressive cumulative grade point average of 3.84 despite the move to remote learning during second semester. Batavia has won th...
Muisenga, Wrobel and Rodriguez are worth watching, and still waiting
Plainfield North's Ella Wrobel, Benet's Rachel Muisenga and Sterling's Lexi Rodriguez were recently named to Volleyball Magazine’s Girls 25 Underclassmen to Watch list. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) https://youtu.be/yhHxJD5w5aU Like many of her peers during these anything-but-typical times, Rachel Muisenga is doing her best to remain ready should the girls’ club volleyball season resume.Working out. Running when weather permits. Or a pick-up volleyball game in her backyard with older sisters Sarah (St. Francis/University of Chicago) who is...
St. Charles East rallies behind Skyler Misch to topple young St. Francis
St. Francis coach Lisa Ston flanked by some of her players. By Phil BrozynskiFor Illprepvb.comSkyler Misch probably could have taken a dozen more swings if needed. “My arm is pretty good,” she said. “I play softball. I’m a pitcher, so my arm is pretty warm all the time.”Misch wasn’t just warm Saturday night, she was smokin’. The 5-foot-10 senior outside hitter had a team-high 14 kills to lead St. Charles East (2-0) to a 21-25, 25-15, 25-13 victory over St. Francis Saturday night in Wheaton.Misch’s strategy is simple.“It's not about hitti...
Heldmann, Beaty know they're doing a good job … if nobody notices them
Jon Heldmann of Bolingbrook has worked several boys state tournament games, including this 2019 semifinal between Glenbard West and New Trier. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Bill Beaty became interested in officiating after his daughter finished her playing career at Divernon High School. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comLike most officials, Jon Heldmann and Bill Beaty prefer to remain anonymous, hiding in plain sight as the action goes on around them.“Honestly, if we’re doing our jobs, we don’t want people to hear about us,” Heldmann sai...
Facing a COVID-clouded future, Illinois girls’ 2020-21 volleyball season begins
Michio Chicago Volleyball Academy outside hitter Logan Grevengoed and her younger sister, Delaney, will have to wait a few months before taking the court for Chicago Christian. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) If this, then what?If that, then this.“We've got a whiteboard with all these different scenarios,” said Club 1 owner/girls director and Naperville Central head coach Brie Isaacson. “What we will do if this happens. What we will do if that happens.“This is a year we’re just going to have to roll with it,” she said.What promises to be anything ...