St. Laurence Names Evergreen Park Native as Head Girls Volleyball Coach

BURBANK, IL -- St. Laurence in Burbank continues to build its girls’ athletics program as the all-boys Catholic high school transitions to a co-educational over the next several years by naming a new head varsity girls volleyball coach.

Evergreen Park native and Most Holy Redeemer parishioner Ellen Yopchick is poised to become the first head varsity girls volleyball coach in St. Laurence High School history. Yopchick joins St. Laurence after nine seasons with the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where she most recently held the positions of assistant volleyball coach and recruiting coordinator.

While at UIC, Yopchick received the “Thirty Under 30” Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association, given to rising young coaches across all levels of collegiate volleyball. She also serves as the assistant club director and coaching coordinator for City Lions, a satellite club of 1st Alliance Volleyball Club.

“My family and I are overwhelmed with excitement to join the St. Laurence community and begin a new era of girls volleyball,” Yopchick said in a news release. “From the moment I stepped on campus I knew that St. Laurence High School is a truly special place with a rich tradition of achievement in the classroom, in the community and in competition.

Yopchick expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to lead girls volleyball from the beginning and building a strong foundation for a competitive program at St. Laurence, who brings championship credentials to the head coach position. As a graduate assistant volleyball coach at Marshall University, she helped the team to the 2007 Conference USA Volleyball Championship.

At DePaul University, she was a three-time captain and was honored as the team’s most outstanding player her senior year. Yopchick also played for Mother McAuley High School’s famed volleyball program, where she was a key part of the 2000 IHSA State Championship team.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Ellen to the St. Laurence family as our first ever girls volleyball coach,” said St. Laurence Athletic Director Tim Chandler. “She adds instant credibility to our program with her playing and coaching background. The entire committee was impressed with her vision for the program throughout the interview process.”

Yopchick will be introduced to the community on May 5, when she holds a volleyball clinic for girls in grades 5 through 7. 6-8:30 p.m. The free clinic runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m. For more information about the clinic, contact Joe Spano, director of admissions at jspano@stlaurence.com.

St. Laurence High School is located at 5556 W 77th St, Burbank.