LHS's winning Girls Volleyball program predates Title IX ruling

Posted June 09, 2018 6:00 am

By Dale Eggert on behalf of Libertyville High School

1986 Sectional Finals. From left, players Deena Reitman, Patty Kreuser and Heidi Coulson; head coach Linda Delano; and assistant coach/future head coach Chris Trzyna cheer a point in their winning effort. Courtesy of Dale Eggert

• The following is part of an ongoing series of articles in celebration of Libertyville High School's 100th anniversary.

Girls Volleyball had one of the earliest beginnings of the Libertyville High School girls sports, predating Title IX. Coach Gretchen Hausmann arranged some interscholastic volleyball competitions during the 1969-70 school year. Coach Hausmann coached the first three years after the passing of Title IX and led the team to a 28-4 three-year record. The first year for the IHSA State Series was her final year coaching volleyball when LHS won the sectional title in the fall of 1974. Linda Delano took over the program for the fall 1975 season. In coach Delano's 11 years, her teams finished 249-65, winning 10 conference titles, 10 regional titles, and five sectional titles. During her time at LHS, Delano was also the softball coach, her teams winning 10 conference titles and three regional titles. When Delano left LHS to go into college coaching, her longtime assistant Chris Trzyna took over the program. "Coach Trz" stayed in the position for 23 years, her teams fashioning a 609-239 record with 14 regional titles and four sectional titles. She was inducted into the Lake County High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. Despite the success of our first three coaches, the goal that eluded the volleyball program for its first 35 years was a trip to state. That changed in the fall of 2007 when LHS defeated Maine South in the Super Sectional game to advance to the state finals, finishing in fourth place behind All-State player Ali Haws. Coach Trzyna retired from teaching and coaching after the 2009 school year. The program torch was passed on to Greg Loika. In Coach Loika's nine years as LHS's head volleyball coach, his teams have a 243-65 record, winning five conference titles, six regional titles, and two sectional titles. The fall 2012 team matched the 2007 team by placing fourth in the state behind the efforts of All-State players Cindy Zhou and Kristen Webb. The 2014 team took LHS Girls Volleyball to a new height when they again won the Super Sectional to reach the state tournament, led by All-Stater Alex Basler. This time they won a three-game semifinal over Loyola to reach the state championship game. They finished second, losing to Benet Academy, who won their third state title in four years. Also on the 2014 team was sophomore Morgan O'Brien who became a two-time All-State libero in 2015 and 2016. She is currently playing for the University of Illinois. For the 45 years that Girls Volleyball has been an IHSA sport, LHS teams have won 31 regional titles, 19 conference titles, and 12 sectional titles, and have a combined program record of 1124-373, a winning rate of 75 percent. Other LHS All-State players that went on to play Division 1 ball were Becky Sutter ('88, Wichita State); Arian Adams ('93, Loyola, who served on the LHS coaching staff several years); Jessica Parsons ('95, Virginia); Diana Steplyk ('00, Michigan State); and Catie Steffan ('10, Rhode Island).

The 2007 Libertyville High School Volleyball team placed fourth in the state. Assistant coach Patti Mascia is on the left, head coach Chris Trzyna on the right, just behind All-Stater Ali Haws. Courtesy of Patti Mascia

The 2014 LHS Volleyball team placed second in the state. Head Coach Greg Loika is top row, second from left. All-State Alex Basler is top row, fourth from left. The Boys Head Coach is Jenny Smith, third from right, striped dress. Courtesy of Greg Loika

Two landmark Girls Volleyball moments: playing the first interscholastic contest vs. Glenbrook North in the fall of 1969 (Janet Weidner is on the right); and winning the Sectional title in the first year of the IHSA sponsored state series in the fall of 1974. Captains Cindy Bretthauer and Peggy Boyes accept the plaque. Courtesy of Dale Eggert

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