By Phil Brozynski
Chicago Sun-Times 2008 all-area selection Jessica Jendryk of Benet will have to put her college career on hold for a year after tearing a knee ligament at the Junior Volleyball Directors Association national championships in Louisville, Kentucky last month.
Jendryk suffered the injury in the first game of Sports Performance 18 Elite’s three-set loss to Munciana 18 Samurai in the 18 Open division championship. By redshirting in 2009, Jendryk will be eligible to play as a fifth-year senior in 2013.
Despite the injury, Jendryk did earn all-tournament honors at the JVDA tournament. Erin Johnson, a middle blocker from Crystal Lake South who played for Club Fusion 18 Black and will join Jendryk at Illinois, was also selected to the all-tournament team.
Former Wheaton Warrenville South setter Jackie Wolfe, another Illinois recruit, was named the MVP of the JVDA 18 Club all-tournament team after leading the Sports Performance 18 Red team to the title in that division.
Other all-tournament selections included Sports Performance 18 Elite setter and former Glenbard East standout Amanda Peterson (Ohio State) and former Naperville Central and SPVB 18 Elite star Emily McGee.
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Among the players making a splash at the JVDA tournament who will be returning for their senior years were Abbey Heredia (Cary-Grove), Lauren Zerante (York), Annemarie Hickey and Claire Randich (Joliet Catholic), Jillian Paluch (Nazareth), Kara Wehrs (Hampshire) and Kylee Baker (Plainfield North), who were named to the 17’s Open division all-tournament team.
Mary Katie Imrie (Sandburg) was named MVP of the 17 Club division tournament at the JVDA tournament. She was joined on the all-tournament team by Mother McAuley’s Jessica Falk.
Among the 16’s Open division all-tournament selections were DeKalb’s Courtney Thomas, Ali Gossen of Evanston, and Colleen Smith and Kelly Lamberti of Cary-Grove.
St. Charles East’s Meghan Niski was MVP of the 15’s Open division tournament. She was joined on the all-tournament team by Lyon’s Alexis Viliunas, York’s Morgan Semmelhack, Abby Gilleland of Marian Central and West Chicago’s Julia Conard.
