The chase for a national club title begins January 7

You can catch former Hinsdale Central standout and Michigan recruit Ally Davis and her SPVB 18 Elite teammates when the Great Lakes Power League 18’s starts January 7-8 at the Great Lakes Center in Aurora.

After weeks of tryouts, practices and roster shuffling, the Great Lakes Power League 18’s gets underway next weekend, January 7-8, at the Great Lakes Center in Aurora.

The Power League kicks off a full season of leagues and tournaments that prepare teams to chase JVA, AAU and USAV national titles.

More than 45 clubs are represented by entries in the league, including 1st Alliance, Capital, Celtic Force, Edge, Fusion, Dead Frog, Diamond Elite, Illini Elite, Illinois Heat, Iowa Rockets, IPV, Kaepa Krush, Kane County, Michio Chicago and Milwaukee Sting.

Also, MVA, New WAVE, Northshore Assault, Powerhouse, Rolling Thunder, River City, Sky High, Southshore, Sports Elite, Sports Performance, Team One, Ultimate, Uno, West Allis Lightning, Wisconsin Juniors, Wildcat Juniors and the Wisconsin Volleyball Academy.

The 16’s Power League begins January 14-15. Schedules can be found at www.advancedeventsystems.com.

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The Sports Performance President’s Day Challenge for 15-18’s club and open divisions is scheduled for February 18-20 at the Great Lakes Center, the Schaumburg Convention Center and the Lake County Expo Center.

The 18 and 17 Open divisions will be played at the Great Lakes Center, the 18 and 17 Club and 15 Open and Club divisions will be played at the Schaumburg Convention Center, and the 16 Open and Club divisions will be played at the Lake County Expo Center.

For more information, email luke@greatlakescenter.com.

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1st Alliance Volleyball Club out of Western Springs was well-represented on the 30th Champaign News-Gazette All-State First team.

The members of the first team included Katie Gallagher (Iowa State) and Caroline Rose (Western Michigan) of York and Alexis Viliunas (Illinois) of Lyons, all members of the 1st Alliance 18 Silver team that will make its debut at the Great Lakes 18’s Power League on January 7.

The second team included Ashley Holder (Marist), whose 1,121 assists last season are second in IHSA history and whose 2,940 career assists are fourth in IHSA history, Sun-Times All-Area selection Katie Urchell (Providence), and Laura Williams (Duke) of Lyons.

Among the 50 players selected special mention were Melissa Deatsch (York), Sophia Dodd (St. Ignatius), Jill Hickey (Joliet Catholic), Melissa Nava (Hinsdale South), Lizzy Scanlon (Mother McAuley), Jessie Tulacka (Downers Grove North) and Nora Young (Benet).

The 100 honorable mention choices included Megan Miller (Lyons), Nora Mitros (Providence), Bridget Powell (Mother McAuley), Caleigh Ryan (Glenbard West) and Mallory Salis (Marist).

Deatsch, Dodd, Ryan and Salis are juniors.

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Congratulations to Club Fusion, which opened a new three-court facility in Batavia during the summer at the corner of (501 W.) Fabyan Parkway and Route 31. Fusion-South will be among the entrants in the Great Lakes 18’s and 16’s Power Leagues.

Mike Bui, who also serves as an assistant volleyball coach at St. Charles East, is the program director. For more information, call (815) 923-4466 during business hours.

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Chicago Sun-Times’ 2007 Player of the Year Kelly Murphy, formerly of Joliet Catholic and a senior at the University of Florida, has signed to play professionally for the Guaynabo Mets of the Superior Volleyball League in Puerto Rico. Murphy was named an AVCA Division I First-Team All-America in 2011.

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Joiet Catholic’s Kelly Feigh and Lauren Robertson and Minooka’s Stacey Perinar will lead the UNO 18 Elite entry at the Windy City Power League beginning January 7.

The Windy City Power League is played at a number of different locations including Adversity, Energy, Midwest, Palos Courts, Sky High, Sunsetters and Top Flight.

Net Force 17 Competition, which plays out of Waukegan, won the Windy City Power League in 2011.

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Sun-Times All-Area selection and Marist setter Ashley Holder, who ranks second in IHSA history for single-season assists and fourth for career assists, has committed to the University of Akron for her collegiate career.

“It is a great fit for both of them,” Marist coach Natalie Holder said.

Ashley Holder will begin college as a sophomore in Akron’s Honors College because of her AP courses and scores at Marist.