Now they're neighbors in the rankings also
Julie Chin has known Colleen Ward since Colleen's family moved next door in Naperville many years ago.
Neighbors grew into volleyball teammates at Naperville North.
This Saturday puts a new spin on the story.
The former Huskies standouts will be on opposite ends of the net in Champaign when Chin and No. 25 Northwestern match up with Ward and No. 7 Illinois.
Chin is hopeful that a partially dislocated shoulder suffered in practice late this week doesn't keep her out.
"I haven't talked to her in a while," Chin said. "I'm really excited to see her. Bad timing for the injury, but it should be fun."
Chin, a 2009 Naperville North graduate and one year Ward's junior, played with Ward on the Huskies' 33-5 team in 2007; they also were members of Sports Performance's 18 Elite club team that won the 2008 AAU national championship.
Ward and Illinois are the talk of the Big Ten. Ward was named Big Ten Player of the Week after she had 16 kills and 10 digs in the 11-2 Illini's win over Penn State in front of a sellout crowd at Huff Gym last Friday, ending the No. 2-ranked Nittany Lions' 65-match Big Ten winning streak.
Illinois has been ranked as high as No. 3 this fall, that after knocking off No. 2 Texas. Ward, the 2007 Daily Herald All-Area captain, transferred to Illinois in April after two seasons at Florida.
She is now one of six Illini from DuPage County schools and leads Illinois in kills with 197. Laura DeBruler from Downers Grove North, another former Daily Herald All-Area captain, this week became Illinois' all-time kill leader.
But don't overlook Northwestern's ascent.
The Wildcats were 8-23 two years ago, 16-16 last season. This fall, though, coach Keylor Chan's team is 12-1, off to its best start since 1987 and nationally ranked for the first time since 1987.
Chin knew that Northwestern was a program on the rise when she committed. The Wildcats have been bolstered this year by the additions of outsides Stephanie Holthus, a freshman from Burlington Central, and Christina Kaelin, a fifth-year transfer from Notre Dame and a former honorable mention All-America.
"The Big Ten is one of the toughest conferences in the nation," Chin said, "and I knew the new recruits we had coming in this year. I knew the team had a lot of potential and was going to get better. That's why it was so appealing."
The breakthrough win came Sept. 10, when the Wildcats rallied from down two sets in the best-of-five match to upset No. 14 Tennessee.
Northwestern is coming off a five-set win over Purdue, where Chin had 17 digs.
"A big reason for our success is we problem-solve," economics major Chin said. "When things aren't going our way, when teams take us to four or five sets, we find a way to win."
Chin has had big shoes to fill, replacing reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Kate Nobilio at libero. Chin had 103 digs in 15 matches as a freshman and in 13 matches this fall leads Northwestern with 168 digs.
"The main thing I learned from (Nobilio) is leadership," Chin said. "She took control of everything, told the girls where they needed to be and what shots to take. This year I've taken on that role, that leadership from the back row."
jwelge@dailyherald.com