Mother McAuley's first state championship team above (1977) and most recent (2023) below...
In August of 2024, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced that it would be naming the Top 50 Girls Volleyball Programs in IHSA history as the Association celebrated the first half century of the IHSA Girls Volleyball State Series and state tournament (Click here for the Top 50 list).
A group of current and former coaches, media members, and other Illinois high school volleyball constituents were assembled to vote on the 50 most historic programs.
The list debuted with Lane Tech High School in Chicago at #50 on August 13, the first day of practice for the 2024 season, and returns to Chicago to crown the #1 team on the final day of the season 2024 season.
Mother McAuley High School has compiled an incredible resume over the course of the past 50 years. The all-girls school has more state championships (17), state final trophies (26), and state final appearances (29) than any other girls volleyball program in state history.
“Congratulations to Mother McAuley High School on being named the top IHSA Girls Volleyball program through the first 50 years of the IHSA State Series and state tournament,” said IHSA Assistsant Executive Director Stacey Lambert. “The first half century of high school girls volleyball in Illinois has been filled with incredible players, coaches, matches, and teams. But you can’t write the history of IHSA girls volleyball without the Mighty Macs. Thank you to all the individuals who helped build and carry on Mother McAuley’s amazing tradition throughout the last half century. Mother McAuley is a name that is renowned not only in the Illinois high school volleyball community, but all throughout the country.”
The IHSA’s partner, Weigel Broadcasting, tried to encapsulate what has made the Mother McAuley so special and consistent over the past five decades in the story below: