Emergency Appeal Denied For Lemont HS Girls Volleyball Team

LEMONT, IL — On Wednesday, the Illinois High School Association Board of Directors denied an appeal to reconsider its decision of the eligibility of the Lemont High School girls volleyball team in the IHSA state series.

The emergency appeal hearing was held Wednesday afternoon, LHS said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The IHSA Board of Directors listened to our appeal, posed some questions, and entered into a closed session for discussion. Unfortunately, our appeal was denied," the school said.

The school was told Tuesday that the team was ineligible for the state series due to exceeding the number of allowed regular season matches. Lemont was set to play in the regional opener on Tuesday.

"We are pursuing available legal options, and are making every effort possible to give our student-athletes the chance to compete in the IHSA State Series," the school said Wednesday.

According to the school, Lemont is in violation of the IHSA’s Contest Limitation by-law (5.323), which states, “No Girls Volleyball team representing a member school shall, in any one season, participate in more than thirty-five (35) matches exclusive of the IHSA State series.”

Lemont played in 36 matches in advance of the 2023 IHSA State Series.

“I am heartbroken for our players, coaches, and families,” Director of Activities and Athletics John Young said in the statement Tuesday. “Understandably, they are very upset, and they have every right to be. Our student-athletes did nothing wrong. I am very sorry our players are forced to pay for my mistake. This was an inadvertent scheduling oversight, and not an intentional act made in an effort to subvert IHSA rules.”

The team's schedule included 17 standalone matches and four tournaments, according to the school. Due to the team’s success throughout the season, it played 19 matches within those four tournaments. Its season finale against Chicago Christian on Oct. 18 pushed Lemont past the allowable number of regular season matches.

Lemont High School is also required to submit a written plan detailing corrective measures it will take to make sure the school is in compliance with IHSA by-law 5.323. Additionally, under IHSA by-law 6.010, Lemont High School is placed on probation for one year. This probationary status does not deprive the school of any of its privileges as an IHSA school, the school said.

Lemont posted a 27-9 record (before the Oct. 18 forfeit) during the regular season, and after posting a perfect 13-0 record in league play, won the program’s ninth straight South Suburban Conference title. It earned the top seed in the IHSA Class 3A Lemont Sectional, and was scheduled to open IHSA Regional play the same day it was ruled ineligible.