West Aurora middle hitter Emilio Ortiz (back row, left) has been playing in a popular Mexican band, L2M Y Su Grupo Sierreño, for the past three years. But the coronovirus pandemic has forced Ortiz to put both careers on hold. Ortiz was inspired to take up the guitar by the late Mexican pop star Ariel Camacho, who died in a car accident in 2015 at the age of 22. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comVolleyball is music to Emilio Ortiz’s ears. Ortiz, a senior at West Aurora, is a middle hitter on the Blackhawks’ volleyball team....

Wheaton Warrenville South setter Sarah Burau clutches the supersectional plaque after the Tigers rallied to defeat Huntley Friday at Streamwood. Wheaton Warrenville South has practically elevated that whole rising from the grave thing to an art form.  “It’s crazy,” said Wheaton Warrenville South setter Sarah Burau. “One of the things were really good at is getting down in the beginning, which we should not be good at. So we’ve learned to come back, which again, we shouldn't have to be good at.” But if practice, even at something bad, ...

Sophomore Kennedi Burnett (left) led St. Joseph-Ogden to a third-place finish in the IHSA Class 2A tournament. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we begin to announce the Illprepvb.com 2019 Girls All-State Volleyball Team with those players named Special Mention. 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 as high school student-athletes, not on any future potential or current recruitment status. Playe...

Top Notch club director Jen Holliday, a former All-American at Florida and standout at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, knows when it's time to be serious and when it's time to have fun. Top Notch 16-1 setter Megan Becker from Springfield High School. By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comSPRINGFIELD – As a measure of coaching excellence, few statistics reveal more than the number of invitations to weddings.Great coaches win, of course, but the best also win when wedding invitations arrive from former players, clear evidence a coach ...

Loyola's 6-foot-6 junior middle hitter Liam Roberts had 6 kills and 4 blocks in Friday's thrilling 25-23, 22-25, 25-15 victory over Glenbrook North in Northbrook. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Loyola's Jack Howard. At Glenbrook North The much-anticipated showdown between top-seeded Loyola and No. 2 New Trier became a reality following Friday's sectional semifinals at Glenbrook North, but not before both teams had to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat. Loyola scored the final 6 points of the first set and ran away with the third to defe...

Brooklyn Borum (10) and her Sterling teammates needed a lot of help Friday from Grace Egan, who was in eighth grade in 2018, to earn a shot at defending their IHSA Class 3A title. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comWith its season on the line  defending IHSA Class 3A champion Sterling turned to a player who wasn’t on the team last year. Because she wasn’t even in high school.Grace Egan put down the match-winning kill on a tip as Sterling survived upstart Belvidere North, 23-25, 25-15, 28-26, in the championship match of a Cla...

St. Ignatius' Michael Eastman is the first player to commit to joining the new men's volleyball program at Illinois Wesleyan University. (Photo by Tim O'Brien) Michael Eastman By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comMichael Eastman is holding out hope that his final high school season will be played. Either way, the St. Ignatius senior will not only start anew next year, he will also help establish a new collegiate program.“I hope so,” Eastman said about the possibility that part of this season could still be played if the coron...