In my third segment of looking back at some history of Bureau County sports, I’m turning to volleyball.

A sports figure in the Illinois Valley said he’d love to see my all-time teams since I’ve been sports editor at the BCR.

For volleyball, I’m going to start with the 1990 season which was highlighted by Princeton’s state champions. We started our all-BCR teams and players of the years two years later.

With so many talented players over the past 35 seasons, this was not an easy task. I’m going to pick a starting team of six, regardless of position, using Player of Year and all-state/all-area honors, stats and team success with consideration of future endeavors past high school.

So my all-Hieronymus volleyball team (with graduation year included) is:

Nicole Coates (Princeton/1991) - In all my years, covering Bureau County volleyball, Nicole is unquestionably the best player I’ve seen. She could jump out of the gym and was the focal point of Princeton’s 1990 state champs. She still holds the school’s all-time kills record. She went on to play for the University of Notre Dame and now is Executive Director for the IESA.

Kailey Klein (Hall/2006) - Known best for her basketball game and deservedly so, Klein could have been a Div. 1 volleyball talent. She had more than a thousand kills over her senior and junior seasons, leading the Red Devils to a fourth-place state finish. Hall’s all-time leading scorer in basketball went on to become No. 1 for Div. 1 Cleveland State.

Lisa Klein (Hall/2004) - The Red Devils’ first Klein (no relation) put her name in the record books as only the second IHSA player to reach 600 kills in a season. She had 983 kills for her career, ranking 23rd all time in the state at the time. She went on to become an All-American at the University of St. Francis.

Carla Muntz (Hall/1997) - The 1996 BCR Player Of the Year and third team Chicago Sun Times all-state setter dished out 766 assists as a senior for Hall, leading the Red Devils to their second straight trip to state. She went on to play Div. 1 volleyball for the University of Dayton.

Carly Payan (BV/2005) - The 2004 BCR Player of the Year was an all-around talent for the Storm, playing a key role in their Three Rivers and regional championships. She went on to play for Parkland College and was a starter for the Div. 1 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.

Elaina Wamhoff (St. Bede/2021) - The two-time BCR Player of the Year from St. Bede was named First Team All-State by the Champaign News Gazette and was an unanimous Three Rivers All-Conference selection. She was the area leader in assists (750) in points (212) and again in her abbreviated senior COVID season. She went on to play for Div. 1 University of Albany and transferred to William Smith.

Next 7: Katie Bates (Princeton/2022), Carolyn Bryant (Hall/1999), Vanessa Funfsinn (Hall/2004), Madison Lebahn (BV/2006), Hallie McGuire (St. Bede/2019), Kendall Rush (Hall/2009), Leah Shaw (Princeton/2009).

Now for my Mt. Rushmore of BCR volleyball teams. The first one is an easy pick with Princeton’s 1990 state champions. They are the only one of the eight state qualifying squads to go all the way. I’ve picked four teams using a criteria of final state placement, season records and teams defeated and lost to in the postseason.

1990 Princeton (36-2-1) - Rita Placek’s Tigresses dominated the Class A ranks, defeating Huntley 15-12, 16-14 in the state finals. All-Stater Nicole Coates was backed by a solid cast with Tina Forth, Rachael Longman, Karen Flaherty, Megan Sluis and Shannon Sapp.

2005 Hall (33-10) - Demi Salazar’s Devils placed fourth in Class A, defeating Jacksonville Routt before falling to Columbia and Hartsburg-Emden. The Devils defeated rival Princeton and Flanagan at sectional before upsetting Mt. Assisi Academy at the Seneca Supersectional.

1996 Hall (36-5) - The second of three straight Hall teams to advance to state, the first under coach Laurie Polte, the Lady Devils lost to eventual state champion Breese Central in three sets in the state quarterfinals. They beat Newman and Serena at sectional and host Riverdale at the supersectional.

2005 Bureau Valley (32-5) - Vicki Litherland’s Storm defeated Camp Point Central at the supesectional to punch their first and only ticket to state joining Bureau County rival Hall. BV lost to Columbia, the state runner-up, in two sets in the Class A quarterfinals. The Storm beat Wethersfield and Sherrard at sectional.

Kevin Hieronymus has been the BCR Sports Editor since 1986. Contact him at khieronymus@bcrnews.com