Illinois Class of 2026 Has B1G Summer

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Heading into the summer, it was no secret Big Ten programs would be looking to Illinois to get some of the top prep volleyball athletes in the country.&nbsp; In fact they got ten of them.&nbsp; Illinois is not only the headquarters of the Big Ten, but specifically Big Ten volleyball.&nbsp; Here are the commits and storylines of the Illinois athletes heading to the Big Ten.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='319759' first='Alaina' last='Pollard'] - Lincoln Way East - 1st Alliance - Indiana</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='323925' first='Nikolija' last='Bulatovic'] - Elmwood Park - 1st Alliance - Iowa</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brooklynne Brass - Minooka - Sports Performance - Maryland</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='324007' first='Lily' last='Bosworth'] - Mahomet-Seymour - [program_tooltip program_id='430006' first='Illini' last='Elite'] - Michigan State</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='324015' first='Alana' last='Whitfield'] - Normal Community - [program_tooltip program_id='430006' first='Illini' last='Elite'] - Michigan State</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='251333' first='Ellie' last='Stiernagle'] - Benet Academy - Sports Performance - Northwestern</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='328144' first='Haley' last='Burgdorf'] - St. Charles North - Sports Performance - Penn State</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Elle Schara - Crown Point (IN) - 1st Alliance - Purdue</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='628282' first='Kymora' last='Scott'] - Homewood-Flossmoor - Xtreme Performance - Wisconsin</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='323932' first='Carolyn' last='Tarnow'] - Benet Academy - 1st Alliance - Wisconsin</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/Kymorasvb/status/1802130805533077917","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/Kymorasvb/status/1802130805533077917 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chicago Pipeline to Madison</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two Chicagoland athletes who went to Wisconsin just won a silver medal in Paris in Lauren Carlini and Dana Rettke.&nbsp; The pipeline will continue from the Class of 2026 in [player_tooltip player_id='628282' first='Kymora' last='Scott'] and Lynney [player_tooltip player_id='323932' first='Carolyn' last='Tarnow'].&nbsp; Tarnow's commit came at no surprise where the connections had always pointed towards Madison.&nbsp; She is one of the top middle blockers in the country and with the success of someone like Dana Rettke, it made too much sense.&nbsp; As for Scott, her commitment left people (including myself) wondering who she was?&nbsp; I have not seen her play live yet, but the highlight reels show an athlete who is so explosive.&nbsp; At first glance I thought the likes of Tionna Williams who was a former Badger star out of the middle with a really athletic presence of a fast arm, lethal off one foot, and someone with a huge upside. This Class of 2026 from Wisconsin is starting to be one of the tops in the country.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/AlainaP2026/status/1815171842044277111","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/AlainaP2026/status/1815171842044277111 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>More 1st Alliance to Indiana </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Is this the start of another Big Ten Pipeline?&nbsp; Indiana was able to get 1st Alliance 16 Gold middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='319759' first='Alaina' last='Pollard'].&nbsp; She will head to Bloomington joining 1st Alliance libero [player_tooltip player_id='288647' first='Aniya' last='Warren'] who is one of the top liberos in the Class of 2025 after a huge summer that finished with a gold medal at NORCECA with the USA U19 National Team.&nbsp; Pollard had a big national tournament where 1st Alliance 16 Gold finished as the 16 Open Runner Up. The combo of Pollard and Tarnow was tough to beat where they could score points and put up a dangerous block.&nbsp; Pollard has a major upside to her game where she could really take off at the next level.&nbsp; Her teammate Elle Schara who is from Crown Point, Indiana is staying close to home to play for Purdue.&nbsp; The 5'9 outside can score in bunches, but her future will most likely be as a defensive specialist, libero.&nbsp; She has a really high volleyball IQ and is so solid in serve receive.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/haley2026/status/1815499354083340385","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/haley2026/status/1815499354083340385 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sports Performance Heading East</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sports Performance 16 Elite was one of the top teams in the 16s age group this past club season and seeing athletes commit to the Big Ten comes at no surprise.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='251333' first='Ellie' last='Stiernagle'] will stay close to home and play at Northwestern, Brooklynne Brass will head to Maryland, and [player_tooltip player_id='328144' first='Haley' last='Burgdorf'] to Penn State.&nbsp; Stiernagle brings plenty of physicality to the setter position where she can run a 5-1 at the next level with her block.&nbsp; She will join Marist and Sports Performance Class of 2025 outside [player_tooltip player_id='311415' first='Bella' last='Bullington'].&nbsp; Brass is a six rotation high flying outside who can score points in bunches.&nbsp; She can do it all when it comes to serve receive, defending, and scoring points from the pin and backrow.&nbsp; She won't be the only Chicagoland athlete at Maryland where they are picking up incoming freshman outside in Katie Scherer who prepped at St. Charles North.&nbsp; Speaking of St. Charles North, rising junior from SC North [player_tooltip player_id='328144' first='Haley' last='Burgdorf'] will be going to Penn State.&nbsp; Burgdorf has plenty of ways to score points where she knows how to use the hands of the blocker, go hard cross, or mix in a roll shot to keep the defense off balance. There are currently four Chicagoland athletes on the Penn State roster in Ava Falduto, Gillian Grimes, Camryn Hannah, and Catherine Burke.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":591761,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/08/DSC05473-crop-4800x3152-1723488646.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-591761"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='324015' first='Alana' last='Whitfield']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Spartans Capitalize On [program_tooltip program_id='430006' first='Illini' last='Elite'] Duo</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I was able to watch [program_tooltip program_id='430006' first='Illini' last='Elite'] 16 Cardinal a few times this past club season and I could see the makings of a fun recruiting process for [player_tooltip player_id='324015' first='Alana' last='Whitfield'] and [player_tooltip player_id='324007' first='Lily' last='Bosworth'].&nbsp; Whitfield is a six rotation outside hitter who can do a lot of special things while making it look easy.&nbsp; She is so explosive with her attacking, but is also really controlled when it comes to serve receive and defense.&nbsp; Her teammate in [player_tooltip player_id='324007' first='Lily' last='Bosworth'] is one to watch out of the middle.&nbsp; At 6'3, Bosworth has plenty of length where she can score points and defend.&nbsp; Seeing her at Triple Crown, there was a big lineup of college coaches watching this team play and you knew this would be a fun recruiting process for this team.&nbsp; Always fun to see teammates stick together at the next level.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/NikolijaBul/status/1803304399848062980","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/NikolijaBul/status/1803304399848062980 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bulatovic Finds The Hawks Nest</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a huge pick up for Iowa who is in a rebuilding process with their program and they are starting with establishing a pipeline to Chicagoland.  [player_tooltip player_id='323925' first='Nikolija' last='Bulatovic'] will join athletes from the Class of 2024 and 2025 from [program_tooltip program_id='432009' first='Sky' last='High'] with Jenna Meitzler and Jamie Marquardt starting their freshman year this fall and middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='464177' first='Peyton' last='Young'] is from the Class of 2025.  Bulatovic is a flat out winner, she was so key for 1st Alliance 16 Gold and their national tournament success.  She keeps the other side of the net on edge where she can find the one on one matchup while also scoring points on her own.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->