Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena will be the site of the 2017 IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals on Friday and Saturday, November 10-11. All 16 matches will be broadcast live on the NFHS Network thanks in part to presenting sponsor Country Financial.

IHSA TV Veteran Scott Slocum will call all the action, while former ISU Redbird player and Laura Doornbos will serve as analyst on the state title matches.

The 2017 field features seven programs making their first state final appearances in school history, while four of the qualifying schools already have a state championship trophy in their school trophy case.
Two coaches are vying for their second state titles this weekend, including one coach trying to win his second title at two different schools.

More on the teams below:


       CLASS 1A
NEWARK LADY NORSEMEN (34-4)   vs.
PAYSON-SEYMOUR LADY INDIANS (39-1)
The Lady Norsemen’s first state final trip in school history comes in head coach Tonya Grayson’s 17th season. Led by standout freshman Madi Malone (448 kills, 276 digs) and junior setter Olivia Nelson (715 assists), Newark hasn’t lost a match to a Class 1A opponent this season.

Payson-Seymour’s nearly unblemished 2017 season culminates with the school’s third state final trip and first under second-year head coach Teresa Loos-Tedrow. With junior Cassie Eidson (912 assists) setting the table, the Lady Indians have three hitters with at least 200 kills, including senior Josie Stanford (391 kills).


DURAND LADY BULLDOGS (34-1-1)   vs.
WINDSOR/STEWARDSON-STRASBURG (COOP) HATCHETS (33-6)
Molly Kelsey’s Durand squad has enjoyed a dominant run to the school’s first state final trip. Led by junior McKenzie Damon (301 kills, 222 digs) and Katie Asche (299 kills, 100 blocks), the Lady Bulldogs knocked off defending state champ West Prairie in two games in the Super-Sectional round.

WSS is back at state for the third time since 2013 under head coach Ronda Schlechte, while the 2017 season marks the 10th state final trip in school history. Led by the head coaches daughter, junior Megan Schlechte (490 kill, 303 digs), the Hatchets hope to capture their second state title (1986) at Redbird.


       CLASS 2A
NEWTON LADY EAGLES (31-7)   vs.
QUINCY NOTRE DAME LADY RAIDERS (32-8)
Newton makes its second state final trip in school history (1990) this weekend, while head coach Jill Kistner and company have already made history by securing the program’s first trophy. What place they leave with will likely depend on the play of standout senior Abby Frohning (366 kills, 280 assists).

One of the state’s most decorated programs, Notre Dame enters in search of its fifth state championship. Head coach Rich Meyer won state in his only previous trip (2011) and has a young group in 2017 led by sophomore Sydney Hummert (359 kills, 307 digs).


ST. THOMAS MORE SABRES (37-3)   vs.
HARVEST CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (29-11)
Another first-time qualifier, third-year head coach Stan Bergman has quickly built St. Thomas More into a title contender. Two Sabres are slated to continue their collegiate careers in the SEC, including senior Mica Allison (Auburn, 307 kills, 377 assists) and sophomore Allie Trame (Alabama, 160 kills, 96 blocks).

Mike Bui’s gauntlet regular-season schedule prepped the Lions for a postseason run that results in the school’s first state final trip. Four of Harvest Christian’s losses came to recent state champs, which could help senior Amanda Cassidy (283 kills) and Kaitlyn Murray (798 assists) win a title of their own.


       CLASS 3A
ST. VIATOR LIONS (29-11)   vs.
RESURRECTION BANDITS (33-8)
St. Viator features its school career leaders in kills in senior Catherine Hickey (533 kills in 2017) and assists in senior Michaela Mueller (1,031 assists in 2017). Head coach Charlie Curtin’s squad is battle-tested and used to pressure, having played to three games in nearly half of its matches this season.

Mike Sopocy has Resurrection in the state finals for the first time in school history in his first season at the helm as head coach. Senior Brittany Welch (302 kills) and company have showed postseason grit, rallying from game one losses in both of its Sectional victories.


NORMAL UNIVERSITY PIONEERS (28-10)   vs.
ALTHOFF CATHOLIC CRUSADERS (39-1)
Welcome back UHIGH and head coach Mike Boulhis. The Pioneers haven’t been to state since future Olympian Ogonna Nnamani led the school to back-to-back titles in 1999-2000, while Boulhis won a state title as coach at Deer Creek-Mackinaw just five years ago. Senior Illyana Lin (183 kills) leads a balanced group that has six players with 100+ kills.

Althoff Catholic moves up a class in 2017, a year after finishing third in Class 2A, and head coach Sara Thomas-Dieterich’s squad has raised their game during a near-perfect season. Karinna Gall (293 kills) has emerged in her sophomore season, while senior Addie Burris (221 kills) is another veteran presence back from last year’s squad.


       CLASS 4A
ST. CHARLES NORTH NORTHSTARS (36-3)   vs.
MINOOKA INDIANS (38-2)
Lindsey Hawkins has steadily built St. Charles North into a power, culminating with the program’s first state final trip in her ninth season. The North Stars have a trio of players with 200+ kills, including do-everything junior Katie Lanz (283 kills, 231 assists, 290 digs). The team’s last loss was way back on September 16 and was avenged in its Super-Sectional victory over Downers Grove North.

With much of its team returning from last year’s state runner-up squad, it’s no surprise that head coach Carrie Prosek has Minooka back at state. Led by seniors Allison Papesh (336 kills) and Raquel Perinar (327 kills), the Indians haven’t been pushed to three games in the postseason. They avenged one of their regular-season defeats in the Super-Sectional (Edwardsville) and could potentially get a chance at the other in the state championship (Marist).


CRYSTAL LAKE CENTRAL TIGERS (32-3)   vs.
MARIST REDHAWKS (39-1)
Crystal Lake Central returns to state for the third time since 2007 and first under seventh-year head coach Lisa Brunstrum. The Tigers, who enter in search of the program’s second state title (3A in 2007), are led by super sophomore Madde Blake (220 kills, 288 digs) and senior Megan Kelly (180 kills, 113 blocks). The Tigers only lost to a pair of teams this season, one being fellow semifinalist Minooka.

Marist remerged on the state volleyball scene with an exclamation point this year under second-year head coach Jordan Vidovic, who has the RedHawks at state for the second time ever (2011). Led by the dynamic senior duo of Savannah Thompson (382 kills) and Maggie Meyer (358 kills), the RedHawks defeated the defending Class 3A (Marian) and Class 4A (Mother McAuley) champs to advance to Redbird.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY
44th annual State Series
11th year of 4-Class Series
28th year at ISU


SITE
Redbird Arena (Normal)
Directions


HOST
ISU Athletics
Bloomington-Normal CVB
BN Sports Commission


SCHEDULE
Friday, November 10
Session 1 - 9:00 a.m.
Class 1A Semifinals
Newark vs. Payson-Seymour

after match 1 - Durand vs. Windsor/Stew.-Stras. Coop

Class 2A Semifinals
after match 2 - Newton vs. Quincy Notre Dame
after match 3 - St.Thomas More vs. Harvest Christian Academy
 
Session 2 - 4:00 p.m.
Class 3A Semifinals
4:00 p.m. - St. Viator vs. Resurrection

after match 5 - Normal UHIGH vs. Althoff Catholic


Class 4A Semifinals
after match 6 - St. Charles North vs. Minooka
after match 7 - Crystal Lake Central vs. Marist


Saturday, November 11
Session 3 - 9:00 a.m.
Class 1A Finals
Third-Place
Championship - after 3rd place match

Class 2A Finals
Third-Place - after  1A championship match
Championship - after 3rd place match

Session 4
Class 3A Finals - 4:30 p.m.
Third-Place
Championship - after 3rd place match

Class 4A Finals
Third-Place - after  3A championship match
Championship - after 3rd place match


TICKETS
$8 per session at Redbird Arena


WATCH
All matches available live on NFHS Network via subscription


LISTEN
WSPY 107.1 FM (Plano)
Newark only
Internet Broadcast

WTAD 930 AM (Quincy)
1A-Payson-Seymour & 2A-Quincy Notre Dame
Internet Broadcast

WMCI 101.3 FM (Mattoon)
1A-WSS & 2A-Newton only
Internet Broadcast

WIKK 103.5 FM (Newton)
Newton only
Internet Broadcast


RESULTS & LIVE STATS
IHSA Girls Volleyball Page


SOCIAL MEDIA
#IHSA on Twitter
Twitter - @IHSAstate

Instagram - @IHSA_IL

Facebook.com/IHSA.IL

Classic IHSA YouTube Video


OFFICIAL STATE FINAL
Gear from Minerva

Photos from VIP

Balls from Wilson

IHSA Program


STATE SUPPORTERS
Country Financial

Wilson Sporting Goods

Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano

Gatorade

MaxPreps


STUDENT SAFETY
Play Smart. Play Hard.

Take the PSPH pledge...


HISTORY & RECORDS
2017 IHSA State Series

Record Book & Past Champions