Boys
LIBERTYVILLE
Coach: Ethan Matthews
Key returning players: Seniors – Andrew Fink, Michael Watson, Jakob Lex, Peter Misko and Jordan Mitchell; Juniors – Scott Villiard, William Becker, Erik Lichtenberger, Eric Mueller and Connor Salata; Sophomores – Carl Michelotti, Aaron Chin, Nicholas Harrington and Benjamin Sutter
Key newcomers: Sophomore – Jack Otto; Freshman – Edward Stevens
Outlook: A new era begins at Libertyville with Ethan Matthews taking over as head coach. Matthews is fortunate to inherit a very experienced roster. Fink returns as the Wildcats goalie for the fourth straight season.
MUNDELEIN
Coach: Russ Gates
Key returning players: Seniors – Mike Ward, Matt Schaedel, Eric Nielsen, Jeremiah Lam and Duncan Black; Junior – Nick Oleinik
Key newcomers: Senior – Nikita Hristev
Outlook: Gates enters his third season as coach of the Mustangs. Mundelein returns 6 of 7 starters and is expecting to make a jump from last year. Coach Gates set a team goal of a sectional championship with hopes of competing for state. The return of the top two scorers, Ward and Schaedel, will help the Mustangs.
VERNON HILLS
Coach: Adam Lueken
Key returning players: Seniors – Daniel Kuzmin, Daniel Greenberg; Juniors – Jason Palmer, Declan Kelleher and Derek Zhang; Sophomore – Jackson Murrie
Key newcomers: Senior – Ron Levich; Junior – Jeffrey Zhang
Outlook: Vernon Hills has a much smaller team this year, but the new guys the Cougars added are stepping up big. Coach Lueken is especially excited about Zhang who is a state swimmer that is finally playing water polo. Lueken knows it will be a tough season, but is happy with how hard the Cougars have been training to work on their team game.
Girls
LIBERTYVILLE
Coach: Tracy Balla
Key returning players: Seniors – Maddie Bollinger and Sara Clark; Juniors – Lily Marcus and Jess Lanty
Key newcomers: Senior – Emma Nagel; Junior – Grace Hurley; Sophomore – Hayden Marth
Outlook: Tracy Balla takes over as coach after previous jobs at Elk Grove, Hersey and Schaumburg. Coach Balla said she's happy with how the team has adjusted to the coaching change and likes how hard they are working to improve their fundamentals. The team has a lot of potential and are looking forward to what hopefully will be a great season.
MUNDELEIN
Coach: Alice Denny
Key returning players: Seniors – Jahnvi Modi, Laura Nootbaar and Gabby Potillo; Juniors – Lucy Renz and Jessica Peterson; Sophomores – Carolyn Westgate and Abbie Lukas
Key newcomers: Senior – Tara Lawson; Junior – Josselin Rodriguez; Freshman – Ella Krauss
Outlook: Alice Denny begins her second year with the Mundelein girls team. This is kind of a rebuilding team with most of the Mustangs' top line graduating last year. Coach Denny is pleased with the several impact players that returned and feels the new players have a lot of potential.
VERNON HILLS
Coach: Jessica Glaeser
Key returning players: Senior – Priscilla Yim
Outlook: Jessica Glaeser takes over to lead the Cougars. Vernon Hills won just three times last season, but returns Yim who has been a force since playing varsity her freshman year.