Girls Volleyball notes: Lauren Coyne carries on family ties at Wheaton Warrenville South

Wheaton Warrenville South sophomore Lauren Coyne doesn’t remember her earliest volleyball moments, but she has seen the photos.

One of her mother’s favorites is Coyne wearing and biting the Olympic gold medal won by her uncle Sean Rooney with the U.S. men’s volleyball team shortly after the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, China.

“I’ve seen pictures of myself watching uncle Sean playing, up against the TV,” Coyne said. “We’ve always just kind of come to South stuff. It’s fun to play at South [now]. I’ve been waiting for it. It’s exciting.”

The 6-foot-3 Coyne has continued the family ties with the Tigers. She’s in her second season as a varsity starter.

Coyne’s mother, Melissa (Rooney), is the catalyst of the family’s volleyball roots. The 1995 Wheaton Warrenville South graduate was an all-conference standout and played Division I volleyball at Indiana. Sean Rooney was a senior on WW South’s first boys volleyball state championship team in 2001. He helped Pepperdine win the 2005 NCAA men’s national championship and played in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, which Melissa attended in London. Melissa and Sean are members of the Wheaton Warrenville South Athletic Hall of Fame.

“It was really fun last year when [Lauren] was a freshman to get back in [the WW South] gym,” Melissa said. “Ever since she was in elementary school, we would come to games to watch.”

Lauren’s younger sister Allie is in seventh grade.

Veteran WW South coach Bill Schreier just missed Melissa but coached Sean all four years – one fresh-soph season and three on varsity.

“It’s been a neat experience knowing the family for as long as I have. It also shows how old I am,” Schreier said, laughing. “It’s been a real fun experience getting to know her parents in a different capacity.”

With Sean recently just returning to the area, the Rooneys, Coynes and Lauren’s grandparents now live within half a mile of one another. Sean often follows Lauren’s progress by binge watching online.

“It ties in well that we moved in just as volleyball season started,” Sean said. “I played like 20 years of pro volleyball and there’s like 11 minutes of video available to see me play, but last year I was able to watch most of her games (online). More than anything, it’s nice to spend time with my nieces and it’s fun to be in the [WW South] gym.”

With Melissa standing 6-foot and Lauren’s father, Bryan, standing 6-9, Lauren expected to be tall.

“Freshman year [on varsity], it was kind of nerve-wracking but I just started building up confidence throughout the season,” Lauren said.

Melissa primarily played middle hitter, but Lauren is an outside hitter like Sean. However in club, Lauren plays right-side hitter for Sports Performance, where Melissa and Sean also played.

One significant difference from them? Lauren attacks left-handed.

“I like playing both [hitter positions],” Lauren said. “It’s made me better hitting different shots, which I like. It’s good practice.”

“She’s really grown, not just physically, but everything as a player,” Schreier said. “I think she has a high ceiling and it’ll be exciting to see what she finally ascends to.”

Wheaton Warrenville South co-captains Rebecca Bellows (Wake Forest), Lilly King and Maddie Mlady also return from last season’s Class 3A sectional finalist.

Downers Grove South’s new faces

Downers Grove South graduated 11 seniors. New contributors include junior middle Lexi Gagnier, who sat out most of 2021 with a broken jaw after wisdom teeth surgery.

“I really want to show coach [Madisen Babich] what I can do on and off the court,” Gagnier said. “I think we have a really good team and we just need to show on the court like that.”

The Mustangs have just four seniors. Two are regular starters – floor captain Emily Petring and Kaley Bretwisch. Natalie Simpson and Kaylin James also played in a recent loss at Downers Grove North. Other starters include four sophomores and three freshmen.

“We are struggling to find consistency. That is our focus at all levels, winning, figuring out how to win as we learn and just building a competitive environment,” Babich said. “I’m excited to see what they turn into next year and the following year.”

Invite standouts

York went 5-0 at the Niles West Invite with all of the wins being two-set victories. Top performers included Jessie Trapp, Clare Mortensen, Melissa Mueller and Kadie Julian. Willowbrook’s five two-set victories captured the Leyden Invite. Calli Kenny, Hannah Kenny, Natalie Cipriano, Grace Conley, Ellie Bruschuk and Anna Marinier led the Warriors. Fourth-place Glenbard West was the highest area finisher at the downstate Crossroads Classic. The Hilltoppers’ Avery Herbert was the lone area all-tournament player.