Author: Jake Fogal
Photo Courtesy of Illinois State Athletics NORMAL,Ill.- “You’re best is enough,” said Illinois State volleyball head coach Leah Johnson as she congratulated her team in the bleachers a day after winning the Missouri Valley Conference title. The inspiring words lead the Redbirds to Omaha, Neb. in hopes to accomplish something that has alluded the team in the last […]
Photo courtesy of Illinois State Athletics. The title ‘back-to-back Missouri Valley Champions’ has a good ring to it. Fans better get used to it as the Illinois State volleyball team will now have that as their new moniker. That new label did not come without adversity, postponements, and empty arenas. The 2021 MVC title will mean something different […]
Photo courtesy of Illinois State Athletics NORMAL Ill.- A fourth postseason berth in as many seasons proves that Illinois State volleyball coach Leah Johnson was the right woman for the job. Since joining the program, Johnson boasts an 82-and-38 record, and has taken the team to new heights. Flashing back to December of 2019, the No. 3 seeded Illinois State volleyball team had a […]
NORMAL, Ill. – Volleyball teammates on the court, friends wherever life has taken them, and as of Sunday afternoon, the reigning Missouri Valley Conference champions. Illinois State volleyball middle blocker Nicole Lund and outside hitter Kaitlyn Prondzinski have been playing pin to pin together since their high school days. Both Rochester, Minn. natives, Lund and Prondzinski spent time on […]
Photo courtesy of Illinois State Athletics. NORMAL Ill.- Following a weekend sweep over last-place Southern Illinois, Illinois State secured the N0. 1 seed in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament set to take place this coming Thursday. The Redbirds enter the tournament as the MVC defending champions, after running the table as the No. 3 seed […]
Photo courtesy of Illinois State Athletics Normal, Ill. – Having not played a match away from Normal in 47 days, the Illinois State Redbirds traveled down to Carbondale on Friday, to which head coach Leah Johnson described as a ‘weird’ feeling. In a season that has been beyond weird, the 9-3 (11-5 overall) Redbirds challenge the 1-15 (2-16 overall) Southern Illinois Salukis in […]
Photo courtesy of Illinois State Athletics. NORMAL Ill.- For the first time since Nov. 23, 2019, the Illinois State volleyball team will welcome spectators to Redbird Arena for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. In an announcement made on Thursday afternoon, Redbird Athletics made the move to allow 25% of fans, which adds up to 2,400 […]
Photo courtesy of Illinois State Athletics. NORMAL, Ill- As Illinois State sports returned with men’s basketball on Nov. 25, so did a challenge many could not have prepared for, back-to-back conference series. Three Missouri Valley sports that were directed to the two-game series were men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball, and each Redbird coach has recognized the struggles with the […]
Photo courtesy of Illinois State Athletics. Finding its first cancelation of the 2021 season, Illinois State’s volleyball series against Loyola-Chicago set for Feb. 28-March 1 has been postponed until a later date by the Missouri Valley Conference. The announcement was made Friday evening, as ISU is reported to have fewer than the minimum number of […]
Photo is courtesy of Illinois State Athletics NORMAL, Ill. – Fresh off a 4-1 match victory 24 hour prior, the Illinois State Redbirds volleyball team suited up for their second encounter with Valparaiso University. Performing well as of late, ISU came in with a three-game winning streak, but fell into problems in the fourth and […]