The York girls volleyball team has plenty to be excited about in the early going of the 2026 season.
Coach Danny Piwowarczyk’s squad was 7-1 through its first eight contests, which included a third-place showing at the recent Wheaton North invitational. York defeated Palatine Fremd in the third-place contest.
At Wheaton North, junior Eileen Carroll was named to the all-tournament team.
“Eileen did an outstanding job hitting and played the best defense I have seen out of her in her career at York,” Piwowarczyk said. “She has really blossomed this year into an outstanding six-rotation outside.
Piwowarczyk noted after switching to the outside this season, senior Ariella Villatoro Nevarez was leading the team with 68 kills through eight matches and racked up double-digit kill totals in three of those matches.
“Ariella and Eileen have really stepped up in the outside hitter position and have been scoring at an efficient rate,” Piwowarczyk said. “They both have really limited the number of errors they make and that has led to a lot of success for them and the team.”
Carroll was leading the team in digs with 64 and aces with 10. Senior Taylor Stepanich, in her second year as a starting middle blocker, was leading the team in blocks with seven.
“What I like the most about this team is their love of the game of volleyball,” Piwowarczyk said. “They all have played so much in their life and still enjoy it like little kids. They are so willing to learn new things and implement them in their game. It is such a fun team to coach.
Piwowarczyk said York has been hard at work on making smarter decisions when hitting and placing balls to weak points in opposing defenses.
“That has really limited the number of errors we have made this season,” he said.
In that 7-1 record, York has defeated Timothy Christian, Buffalo Grove, Payton College Prep, Wheaton North (twice), Fremd and Addison Trail. The Dukes lost to West Suburban Conference Silver Division foe Glenbard West at Wheaton North.
The Dukes face Oak Park-River Forest (WSC Silver match) and St. Viator (non-conference) this week.
